


The Highway Man

by Secret_Worlds



Category: Highwayman - The Highwaymen (Song)
Genre: Assisted Suicide, Character Death, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Loss of Virginity, Mildly Dubious Consent, POV Alternating, Sexual Content, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 34
Words: 33,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22855294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secret_Worlds/pseuds/Secret_Worlds
Summary: This is a piece based on The Highwaymen. I've brought the story to a modern setting and added just a bit more detail. Also, unlike the song, this piece does include sex.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character





	1. The Party

The Highway Man  
I sat at my vanity and sighed at the ridiculous dress I was being forced to wear. I hated these stupid nineteenth century parties my dad, Stuart, hosted. This dress might have been the least comfortable article of clothing I owned. I could feel the corset I was wearing digging into my back where the two sides were tied together.  
This year Stuart had chosen for me to wear a deep red dress that sucked in my tiny waist and pressed my boobs tight against my chest. The sleeves fell loosely off my shoulders, leaving everything exposed from my cleavage up. I had long white gloves that came up to my elbows and the bottom of the dress ballooned out like Cinderella's ball gown.  
I smiled internally as I thought of my small rebellion. Stuart had given me a pair of black heeled boots to wear with the dress. They now rested comfortably in my closet while I wore my Converse instead.  
I'd always wondered what people saw in throwing this kind of party. Maybe it's just because this tiny southern town likes reliving the old days, kind of like how it does stupid Civil War reenactments. Thank God I wasn't forced to participate in those. When I'd turned 16, Stuart had tried to make me, but I threw such a tantrum that we agreed to a compromise. I wouldn't have to reenact the Civil War if I didn't complain about this party. I'd have to suffer in silence.  
But, no matter the style, I would always love my hair. Right now, the thick, black waves fell loose around my face all the way down to the dip of my waist. Using both hands, I gathered it all up to trail over my left shoulder, weaving a love-knot to hold it in place. I plucked a long red ribbon from my vanity drawer and threaded it in until there were little pieces of red peaking out here and there.  
I didn't wear any makeup for the same reason I never did my makeup: I didn't need it. My skin was fair and unblemished, with a natural pink tinge that highlighted my high cheekbones. My eyelashes were long and dark, like my hair. They framed my big, black eyes.  
Not dark brown. Black. I always found it humorous when people would try to see them as brown. Their looks of shock and disbelief were very poorly hidden. My lips, also, were an unnatural color. For some reason, they were always flushed red, preventing any need for lipstick.  
I stood up and sighed again. Time to put on a happy face. I looked in the mirror and tried to muster up a smile. It looked really fake to me but it always convinced everyone else. Maybe it was convincing because it was the only one I ever wore. I dropped it and headed out the door. I walked down the halls of the inn my father owned, and turned to greet the crowd at the bottom of the stairs.  
The party was in full swing when I walked in. There were middle-aged women in old fashioned dresses with huge backsides. Men walked around with white ruffles near their necks and coat tails that went down to the backs of their knees. Ridiculous.  
I walked as gracefully as I could through the throng of people, while simultaneously trying not to trip over my own dress, until I reached Stuart. He was standing with a bunch of other middle-aged men talking jovially, placing a hand on his stomach and laughing loudly. He probably thought he was mimicking the laughter from way back when, but it came across as a Santa Clause chuckle.  
"Dad!" I yelled when I finally breached the crowd, putting on my best show face.  
His eyes lit with recognition and he broke away from his group. "Oh, Elizabeth!" he said and I scrunched my nose in response. He didn't usually call me by my full name.  
"It's Bess, dad," I corrected, trying to hide my irritation. We had a deal and I needed to act pleasant in order to hold up my end. "I think, since you're the one who gave me the nickname, you should be obligated to call me by it," I teased, letting out a stiff laugh. I really hated that name. It sounded so prim and proper and I... wasn't.  
"Ah, but you were named after Queen Elizabeth, who was ruling at the time this attire was in style," he protested, gesturing to the costumes around him, "Therefor, I will be calling you Elizabeth tonight," he finished.  
I rolled my eyes and gave in, knowing I wasn't going to win this argument. He put an arm around my shoulders and focused his small brown eyes on something across the room, then looked back to me. "There're some other kids hanging out over there if you don't wanna hang out with us old folk," he pointed to the opposite corner of the room where I saw kids playing. The oldest one might have been 14.  
I narrowed my eyes at my father, "Dad, I'm 20. I'm not gonna go play hide and seek with the kids that were brought along because their parents couldn't find babysitters," I snapped. I was really struggling with my end of the deal.  
"Okay, okay," he put his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, honey. I sometimes forget how much you've grown up," he defended with a trace of melancholy.  
"Yeah," I muttered, feeling a twinge of guilt. I'd always had a soft spot when he was sad. I'd spent awhile taking care of him after Mom died a few years back and it seemed to have resulted in me feeling parental about my parent.  
He looked at me again, a small smile playing on his lips. "I do know that you don't wanna hang out with us, either. So, the way I see it, you've got three choices. You can go play with the kids, you can listen to us talk about big city politics, or you can go find someone your own age," he said, ticking each option off on his fingers.  
I sighed. "You're right. I don't wanna hang out with you guys. So I guess I'll go with door number three," I chose, mimicking the game show voices. I didn't particularly like trying to make new friends, but it's the lesser of three evils.  
He winked and stepped away, back to his friends. I turned and started slowly walking, head swiveling here and there as I looked for someone under 30 years old. Nothing. Of course. It's not like any 20-something would want to be here.  
Then I caught sight of a long table with food and drinks and grinned. Eating was a good way to waste time.  
It wasn't any kind of buffet, but there were cheese and crackers, trays of cut up fruit that were clearly bought from the grocery store. I saw a box of scones and wished they were Oreo's. I laughed quietly to myself when I realized Dad probably didn't get Oreo's because they weren't popular at the turn of the century.  
I loaded my plate up with the finger foods and sweet tea and continued walking around, more focused on my food than on finding someone to talk to. A small part of me hoped someone spiked the tea. It would definitely make the night go by faster.  
I hadn't even realized I had approached the front door until I felt the cool air coming from the crack underneath it. The quiet night outside seemed to be calling me away from the loud laughter and packed bodies.  
I looked back to where Stuart was standing, still talking, and pondered whether or not he would realize I was gone. I was too scared to risk it, so I caught his eye and gestured to let him know I was going to throw my trash away in the dumpster outside. He nodded in acquiescence.  
I pushed open the glass door and stepped out into the brisk autumn breeze. I started to walk farther up the road, the moon bright overhead. I looked over to the parking lot and was again shocked at how many people came to this thing. Cars were packed so close together it was a wonder anyone was able to get out of them, especially with the costumes they wore.  
Then I saw movement in my peripheral vision, almost like a moving shadow, behind the little outbuilding that was rotting away at the edge of the parking lot. That was...strange. Nothing was supposed to be back there. I walked towards it, intrigued. A little voice inside me said that maybe this was a bad idea and it could be a murderer, but I blocked her out in favor of satisfying my curiosity.


	2. The Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess meets a strange man who rode into town on a horse.

As I crept forward I saw that the shadows were hiding... a horse? Oh my God, the lengths these people went to! Still, I couldn't stop myself from marveling at the beautiful creature, walking around to his head, calming it when it bridled.  
"Um, hello?" I heard a surprised male voice say from the other side of the animal. I froze in shock and embarrassment at being caught back here. My heart thundered in my chest as I realized there was no way to extricate myself from this situation. He'd already seen me.  
I peeked around the horse and saw the speaker. Wow. The guy did nothing to help me relax. He was extremely hot. Abercrombie & Fitch hot, though he gave off a more masculine vibe. And he was young. Maybe 25?  
His hair was dark brown and shaped in casual disarray. His skin was a deep caramel color that contrasted with his light green eyes. His lips were at the exact middle of full and thin and looked deliciously kissable. The hair of his sideburns continued in a clean line down his jaw in a truly old-western fashion. He was dressed similar to the other men but, somehow, he was able to pull it off.  
I managed to keep my face composed, though it took all of my experience of faking happiness. He just kept looking at me. Oh, right. He'd said something and was waiting for an answer.  
"Oh, um, hi...," I stuttered before closing my eyes and focusing. I wouldn't be able to come up with a lie in this mindset so I went with the truth. "I, er, saw something moving over here and went to check it out. I didn't expect this," I gestured to the huge horse that stood much taller than me. "I'm sorry. I'll just, um, go back to the party," I muttered, starting to retreat.  
"No," he said, stopping me in my tracks. "It's fine, really," he tried to reassure me, but I wasn't hearing what he was saying. My thoughts were clouded with mortification.  
I looked at the horse instead of him when I spoke, "Thanks." I peeked up at him and saw him smiling down at me.  
I was surprised when I felt myself smile in return. It wasn't forced or fake like all the smiles I'd grown used over the past couple years. For the first time in a long time, I felt the stirrings of happiness, and it was all because he smiled at me.  
What the Hell?  
"I'm Sam," he greeted, extending his hand, palm up.  
I debated for a second before placing my hand in his. "Elizabeth. But everyone calls me Bess," I replied and couldn't help the laugh that escaped me when he brought my hand up and placed a chaste kiss to my knuckles like a good southern gentleman.  
He released my hand and I crossed it around my torso to grab my other arm, "Bess," he repeated, seeming to turn it over in his head. "I like it. So, what do you think?" He asked, gesturing to his ride.  
"Of the horse?" I responded. "He's beautiful. I mean, I've always liked horses, but this one is marvelous," I continued truthfully. It really was beautiful. His body and mane were both sleek and black. His muscles were big and defined. This wasn't a horse that meandered around a pasture all day.  
He chuckled. "I'm not surprised," he stated plainly.  
"What do you mean?" I questioned, walking over to pet the horse's flank to avoid eye contact.  
He followed behind until he stood next to me. "Well, the only thing that isn't dark about you is your skin," he answered, gesturing to my hair and eyes.  
"Yeah..." I trailed off before finally addressing the elephant in the room, "I hate to be the one to ask the obvious but, uh, why did you bring a horse to a party?" I couldn't help the way my tone warped around the question. It was just so odd. He chuckled.  
"Well, I was coming to the party, anyways. Might as well go all in. What kind of man would I be to drive a car to an 1800's party?" he asked, his tone emanating rationality.  
"Um... a normal one?" I answered, gesturing to the cars overflowing the lot.  
"Well, I've always thought normal was overrated, so I guess it's fitting," he replied with a smile, leaning against his ride. I could barely contain my grin when I realized he was flirting.  
"Hmm... I guess that would make sense, then. And I know what you mean about the abnormal thing. I've been abnormal my whole life," I commented, taking a step back towards him.  
"So, what are two abnormal people going to do in an excessively normal town?" he replied, giving me a sideways glance.  
I gave a dry laugh. Excessively normal was right. Nothing ever happened here. Hell, this conversation was probably the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me. "Well, we could stand here until our feet get numb or...," I trailed off. An idea had come to mind that had me instantly excited, "you could let me ride the horse?" I finished. I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep my cool as I said it. I bit down on my bottom lip as I eagerly anticipated his answer.  
He seemed surprised by my request and instantly shook his head. "I don't think so," he half-laughed as he looked me up and down. "No offense, but I don't think you really could..." he said, trailing off.  
"Okay, how could that not be offensive?" I asked sharply, putting a hand on my hip and glaring. He thought I didn't know how to ride? How typical. I imagined that this was how men 100 years ago said that women couldn't drive.  
"Oh, come on! You're so small and there is no way you could ride in that dress, regardless," he insisted. I instantly stiffened, my stubborn side rearing its head as I balled my hands into fists at my sides.  
"Watch me," I snapped, glaring. I strode around to the side of the horse, gripping the saddle. He would've been easily able to stop me if he really minded, but he didn't.  
Holding on tight, I lifted my foot into the stirrup, smiling to myself when my dress didn't hinder me like he'd said it would. I shifted and started lifting my other leg to swing over the horse's back, only for it to stop mid-motion when my dress refused to stretch to accommodate the position. I narrowly avoided falling. I put my leg back down, balancing on the one stirrup.  
I made sure not to look back at Sam as I thought of a solution. I didn't know if I could stand a smug smile at this point. Or a condescending look, which I was pretty sure was there because I heard him sigh like a parent waiting for a child to realize the toy cube wouldn't fit in the cylindrical hole.  
Like a child, I kept trying. The dress was the problem. All I had to do was get it out of the way. I took one hand off the saddle to pull the offending garment up to my knee, allowing me full range of motion again. With my dress in my hand, I swung my leg over again, a little too fast.  
The force propelled my torso back, which would have been fine if both hands were attached to steady me. But they weren't. That stupid hand holding my stupid dress wasn't there to hold me up and the next thing I knew I was on my butt, breath coming out in a huff as I looked at the bottom of a black horse with a handsome man leaning over me.  
If I never saw this dress again it would be too soon. I was going to burn it the first chance I got. Maybe next year I could dress up like a prostitute. Surely their dresses were shorter.  
Sam was staring at me with his lips pressed tightly together, as if he was holding back laughter. I scowled and started shifting to stand up, mumbling all the while about the illogical construction of dresses.  
He held out his hand and I took it with a sigh. It'd be hard to gracefully get myself up wearing this freaking corset and skirt. Plus, his hand felt strong and warm and I wasn't averse to holding it, no matter how embarrassed I was.  
He let go of me once I was stable and crossed his arms, that damn tight-lipped amusement still dominating his face. I gave him my best death glare, but it was hindered by the humiliation I could feel coloring my cheeks. All of a sudden his composure fell away and he started laughing.  
I balled up my hands and started to march past him. I didn't really want to go back to the party but a stupid kind of pride was propelling me away from him.  
Just as I was about to pass him, he shot his arm out and wrapped it around my waist, pulling me back gently. I gasped as I felt his strong arm around me, momentarily forgetting why I was mad. He immediately dropped his arm and stepped back, putting some space between us.  
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have laughed at you but, really, you have to admit that was funny!" he continued, reminding me of my irritation. His apology didn't sound very sincere and I crossed my arms over my chest. He sighed at my expression and the humor finally left - for the most part.  
"Okay, do you want a ride?" he asked, compromising. I examined his features, determining what I wanted most. On one hand, I was still embarrassed and angry. On the other hand, I wanted to spend more time with him.  
"Yeah, okay," I relented, and he smiled, making me smile in return, just a little.  
He held out his hand and I reached for it, pausing when I saw that my pristine glove was now stained with dirt. I sighed and pulled it down my arm, the other following close behind. I threw them both to the ground, just barely keeping myself from stomping on them.  
He gave me a questioning look but still held out his hand. This time, I took it, feeling rough calluses against my soft skin. I noticed how small my hand looked in his. It made me feel like a doll.  
He lifted me into the stirrup and held my waist as I hitched up my dress and got into a straddling position. It took a little longer than it should have for me to get situated, what with 90 percent of my thoughts being about how his fingers could almost touch each other when they were curved around my waist.  
He pulled himself up without incident and I couldn't help but scoot forward until I was right behind him, for safety purposes only, of course. Right.  
He paused for a brief moment before leaning forward to untie the rope holding the horse in place. I frowned when he stayed forward, leaving me separated from his back. I blew a tendril of hair that had escaped away from my face as we started trotting through the lot. The speed was slow enough that my hands just rested on his hips. I sighed quietly in content and craned my neck up to see the stars.  
These were one of the only good things about small towns. There were barely any lights so I could see every star that lit up the night sky. I sighed in peace, giving a slight hum in response to whatever he'd just said as I got lost in the billions of balls of fire.  
"Are you sure?" he asked, and the warning in his voice drew me out of my reverie.  
"Wait, what?" I questioned, coming back to the present.  
"I asked you if you wanted to go faster," he responded, laughing lightly.  
"Um, okay," I allowed, only slightly worried about my ability to stay on without holding the reigns.  
All of a sudden the horse lurched forward and my hair was being blown back behind me. I instinctively grabbed his shirt at first until a new idea emerged.  
Now that it was necessary to hold him, I might as well make the most of it. I wrapped my right hand around my left wrist as they connected at his abs and hugged myself closer, laying my head on his shoulder blade as we raced over the hills.  
I squeezed my eyes closed and held on tight, fully aware that, if I let go, I would fly off the back of this horse. I didn't know how long we'd been running through town before we came to a stop back at the outbuilding. He slid casually off the horse and tied the harness to the wood.  
I tried to keep myself from pouting when my body was no longer connected to his. It felt colder now, even though it was August in Georgia. I tried to distract myself by attempting to get down. I went slowly and carefully so I didn't fall again, and smiled to myself when I made it.  
"Believe it or not, I actually grew up riding horses," I admitted, giving a short laugh to restart the conversation. The silence hadn't been uncomfortable, I just really liked talking to him.  
"Really?" he asked, dubious. "I've never seen any practiced rider try to ride a horse as...," he seemed to think about his words as he watched a warning shape my expression, "...the way you did," he finished, changing the end of his sentence.  
"Yeah, well, I was kinda distracted," I mumbled, thinking about how every part of him seemed to be made specifically to draw my attention.  
"What distracted you?" he asked lightly, looking around. "Was it the parking lot full of cars? Or was it this building you seem so eager to get back to?" he joked with a chuckle.  
For some reason I couldn't name, I wasn't irritated by his words, though it was obvious he was teasing me. He was smiling at his little joke and I felt like I could see into his eyes for miles. I understood then that he was just a genuinely happy person, and I craved it.


	3. Cobblestones and Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess and Sam get to know each other better as they stroll down Main Street.

I'd grown up always very careful about stranger danger and news stories, but being with Sam felt natural. Like this moment was meant to happen. I wasn't one to believe in destiny or soul mates but, with him, I felt something close to it.  
"Uh... what are you looking at?" he asked suddenly, and I realized I'd been staring for a rude amount of time. He was so distracting.  
"What? Nothing," I shook my head quickly, trying to shake off my errant thoughts. "I just get a little lost in thought sometimes," I admitted, looking at his chest instead of his eyes.  
"Well, it is getting pretty late," he allowed, throwing me a lifeline. It was only eight o'clock. I could still see some of the light over the horizon, though the sun was gone.  
His eyes turned speculative for a second. "Do you wanna go for a walk?" he asked suddenly, pointing his thumb back over his shoulder towards the quiet town.  
"Okay," I agreed immediately and with too much enthusiasm. Control yourself, Bess.  
He turned to the side and held out his elbow for me to take. I managed not to frown at that. I'd much rather have held his hand, but I guess he wasn't feeling the same.  
Suppressing a sigh, I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow and pressed closer than I probably should have, but he didn't stop me so I figured it was okay. Even through his jacket, his warmth seeped into my skin, making me close my eyes in content. He started leading us forward, away from the laughter and lights of the party.  
We walked the streets that were abnormally quiet. Probably because the townspeople were all trying to fit into the inn. Well, I guess that's one good thing to come out of having the party. We got some alone time.  
The moon had appeared as we got to main street. Despite how much I loathed this place, I had always loved the roads downtown. They were made of cobblestone instead of pavement so nobody could drive here. People could only walk up and down Main Street, looking into cute little shops and restaurants.  
The moon shone bright that night, making any streetlamps unnecessary. I looked up at Sam and realized for the first time how tall he was. He had to be over six feet tall while I stood there at five foot three. His height made me feel so small.  
As we walked in comfortable silence I realized that, though he was the first person to put me in a actual good mood, I didn't know anything about him.  
"What's your last name?" I asked, picking the most basic question out of the thousand that were running through my head.  
He laughed, "That was random," I continued looking at him until he relented, "It's Carson."  
How... simple. Sam Carson. It wasn't what I would've expected from a Clint Eastwood type guy.  
"So, what do you do? Besides dressing up and coming to throwback parties? By the way, my next question will be why do you come to these stupid parties?" I stated, matter-of-fact.  
He chuckled and hesitated for a fraction of a second. "I'm actually not employed right now," he answered before elaborating, "Well, technically I'm co-owner of a company that matches buyers and sellers, but I've taken a year off to travel. I started in Maine then kept moving south. I'm trying to hit all the big cities along the east coast, then I'll switch to the west coast and do the the same."  
I was speechless. He'd developed his own company? And it must've been hugely successful if he could take an entire year off and still be getting money. The rational, thinking part of me said that that should've been the most impressive thing about him. But, other than the respect I felt towards him for having the courage and brains to do that, it was nothing compared to my feelings about his desire to travel.  
That's all I wanted to do. I wanted to get out of this tiny town and see everywhere. New York and Chicago and L.A. And he was doing it. I fought the jealousy budding inside me. No need to scare him away. As I worked to get past it, another feeling came to the surface. I felt very... boring in comparison.  
Here was this amazing person. He was doing all these wonderful things, having adventures and going places and all I'd ever done was live in a small town and take care of my father and the inn. I'd actually forgone college because he'd needed me here. Why would Holden be interested in talking to someone so vanilla?  
"What's wrong?" he questioned, sounding concerned. He was probably wondering why I'd stopped talking when, a minute ago, I seemed intent on flushing out every last detail of his life.  
"It's just," I started, looking down at the cobblestone street. "I'm jealous," I said with a sigh, only half-lying. I really was jealous, but that wasn't why I stopped talking. I just felt really small compared to him.  
We walked in silence and I felt his gaze boring a hole into the side of my face as I kept my eyes trained on the ground. Judging by his stare, he didn't believe me.  
"So," he started, restarting the conversation, "What's your story?"  
"What?" I asked, looking up at him in surprise.  
"I told you mine, now you have to tell me yours," he explained.  
"Oh. Well, I work at the inn, unofficially. My dad is the actual landlord, but he's been... a little out of it since my mom died," I answered. He let out the tiniest hint of a laugh but I continued, "That's why I've never left this tiny town. I'm scared of leaving him to do it all on his own." I stopped when I realized I was going into self-pity mode. "That's why I'm jealous. You get to do all this stuff I wanted to do," I admitted.  
"Huh," was all he said.  
"I know it's boring, but it's all I've got," I sighed, half expecting him to suggest we go back so he wouldn't have to pretend to be interested anymore.  
"I think your story's better than mine," he responded. I met his eyes to see if he was joking, but they were sincere. "See, our stories reflect on our character. Hearing my story would probably tell you that I'm smart, adventurous, and self-indulgent," he listed. "Hearing your story tells me that you are kind, strong, and selfless," he said, smiling.  
"You need to add kind to your list of adjectives, too," I replied, nudging him before I stopped walking, causing him to stop with me. I pulled my arm out of his so that I could face him.  
"What...?" he inquired, confused by my sudden stop.  
"Thank you," I said simply, looking straight into his beautiful blue eyes.  
His eyes turned soft and he gave me a small smile before throwing his arms around my shoulders like my dad and walking us forward again. "Anytime, Bess," he replied.  
His words would've made my heart warm if it wasn't already being stabbed by his casual gesture. It was like I was one of the guys as he hooked his arm around my neck. Here I was, starting to fall for this guy, and he'd just made it blatantly obvious that it was a one-sided attraction.  
"So, you never did answer my question before," I reminded him, starting up the conversation again.  
"Which one was that?" he asked.  
"Why did you come to the party? Didn't you say you just wanted to hit the big cities?" I questioned skeptically. I was curious as to what could possibly have drawn him away from a big city in Georgia, like Atlanta, to my boring town.  
"Oh, well that's a question I'm afraid you aren't going to get an answer to," he stated confidently.  
"What? Why?" I asked, mystified. It was an innocent question.  
"Because it gives away too much on my part," he answered simply, like it was an obvious conclusion to come to.  
"Please..." He should've known better than to not answer because it only made me more persistent. "Please tell me," I begged.  
He looked down at me and sighed, rolling his eyes as I pouted. "Okay, I'll give you a partial truth," he thought for a moment, "I wanted to see the inn," he finished.  
That was definitely not what I expected. Why would anyone go out of their way to visit the inn? I'd love to go out of my way to avoid the inn. I looked at him, one eyebrow arched, and tried to figure out what part he was leaving out that would make this partial truth make sense.  
"Okay, you're going to have to give me a little bit more before I call bullshit," I prodded.  
"Hmmm..." he gave me a sideways glance, measuring my conviction. "I was told that there was something that was worth seeing at this place," he finished, and I understood.  
"Oh. Some Civil War reenactor-type tell you that this party was something special?" I didn't say it as a question, more like an assumption.  
I was confused when he shook his head. Damnit, back to the drawing board.  
"Then what could possibly be interesting about it? It's just an inn," I pointed out.  
He stared off into the distance as he spoke, resigned, "Just remember, you asked for it. I came to see a girl." My stomach sank. He'd come here to meet a girl. If I'd thought my chances were slim before, they were gone now. "A guy said he bet she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever see," he continued, "I have to admit, I didn't believe him, but I came anyways. I asked him who she was, but he didn't know her name." I thought about every girl that fit that description, wondering which one he was talking about.  
Annabel was gorgeous. With her honey-blonde hair and blue eyes, she was a classic southern belle. Sarah was also beautiful. She had a great tan with model-esque legs.  
"Did you find her?" I asked as evenly as I could, working on mentally distancing myself from the feel of his skin on mine. I immediately wished I hadn't asked.  
"Yep," he replied.  
I fought the urge to cry. I was not a cryer. "How? I mean, if they didn't know her name, how did they expect you to recognize her?" Why was I asking this? I'd never been a masochist before. But here I was, trying to break my own heart.  
"Well, he told me she was the landlord's daughter," he finished, and I froze. Every emotion flushed away leaving nothing in its place. I felt empty. The shock of it had shut down my brain.  
All of a sudden a mixture of joy and excitement and victory and every other positive emotion filled me slowly. There was a tiny part of me that said I should be creeped out by this information, that apparently random guys talked about me like a tourist attraction, but I chose to ignore it.  
Then my insecurity surfaced. Sure, he'd come here to meet the person someone had told him about, but that didn't mean he suddenly had feelings for me.  
"Oh," was all I could manage to say in my sudden self-imposed dejection. He took my hand and started walking forward again, my haze making me stumble a little.  
"Yeah. I came to the party but I couldn't find her anywhere," he shook his head back and forth with a small smile. "I began to think that old bastard had tricked me into coming here to nothing but a bunch of old people in costumes. After a couple hours of searching, I decided to leave. Then I found a horse thief, " he looked at me from the corner of his eyes with a small smirk and squeezed my hand lightly when I went to object. "Instead of telling her to take a hike, I decided to talk to her.  
"I'm not going to lie and say her looks didn't have something to do with that decision. Then it took all of two minutes to like being around her. She was funny, stubborn and different. I'd completely forgotten about the reason I came. Then, as I was walking the streets, I found you two are one in the same. It seems obvious now, since you are extremely beautiful and you're the only non-ancient person here." He finished his story and I realized that explained his little laugh when I said who I was. He’d been putting two and two together.  
I'd read a lot of books in my lonely life and always found it ridiculous when the characters fall in love after one day. I mean, that'd be impossible. But now, smiling with him, I knew I was wrong. I didn't love him yet, but I knew I would. He was everything I ever wanted: adventurous and happy and smart and kind. I knew that I would be able to find something wrong with him, but everyone had their faults. I definitely had some.  
Still smiling, I stepped in front of him, close enough that our chests touched. This was a beautiful setting for a first kiss. The moon was reflecting off the cobblestone street. I had to go for it. If he kissed me back, it meant he liked me. If not, he didn't. It was a risky plan but one I felt I had to-  
My head was cleared of all thoughts when I felt his arms wind around my waist, pulling me closer. My breath caught in my throat and I caught his eyes flicker down to my mouth. Yep, there was a 99 percent chance that he liked me back, but I could see hesitation in his eyes.  
I wound my arms around his neck and stood on my tiptoes. I couldn't reach his lips by myself but, hopefully, he would help out. The tightening of his arms was the only warning I got before I saw the indecision clear in his eyes and he leaned down ever so slightly.  
His lips covered mine and it felt like I'd been shot up with some drug or had drank five Redbull's at once. My breath was coming faster as our lips moved together. This was my first kiss and I couldn't imagine any other kiss being better.  
My eyes had closed the second our lips connected so I wasn't aware that my vision was blacking out until I was already gone. My head felt like it was floating away from my body in bliss. Or maybe it wasn't bliss... it felt too real for that. My thoughts started coming slower and I realized, too late, what was happening. I felt a flicker of disappointment as my fainting disconnected our mouths before there was only blackness.


	4. Breathless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kiss was breathtaking! Literally. Bess passed out because she couldn't breathe. How does Sam react?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First introduction to Sam's POV!

Best first kiss ever. Her lips were soft and full and I couldn't get enough. Since the first time I'd spoken to her I'd seen something. Her eyes always had a hint of life that I didn't even think she was aware of most of the time. It was like she'd set it free now and I was so glad I'd chosen this.  
I never thought I'd hesitate if the most beautiful woman ever wanted to kiss me, but I had. I was afraid that she'd turn me away if she found out the truth. I wasn't sure I'd be able to have her hate me for taking advantage of this situation. Before I could decide, she'd already started leaning in and there was something in her eyes that I couldn't name but I knew it meant she couldn't hate me. As soon as our lips met it was electric. Never had I had anything like this before.  
That's how I knew something was wrong. When her arms were no longer pulling me closer. When her lips became lazier. When she grew heavier in my arms. I opened my eyes just in time to feel her legs give out. My arms around her waist caught her before she could fall but I instantly laid her on the cool ground and looked at her face.  
She was completely unconscious. What had happened?! If I'd held her too tight she'd have come around after I let her go, but she was still out. I started panicking. No, no, no. This wasn't about to happen. This couldn't happen.  
"Bess," I shook her shoulders lightly, "Bess! Please, please, Elizabeth wake up." I leaned my face down close to hers and couldn't feel her breathing. I sighed in relief when I felt for her pulse. She was still alive. But she wouldn't be for long if she didn't start breathing.  
A random thought popped into my head as I looked at her dress. It reminded me of the ones worn in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Elizabeth had passed out when her corset was too tight. Could that've been what happened? If so, I had to get it off. I had to try.  
There was a huge part of me that told me it was wrong to take off a chicks top when she was unconscious. But an even bigger part of me shouted that it was worse to let her die. I decided I'd at least cut it at her back and not her front.  
I quickly flipped her over as I pulled my pocket knife out of my boot, wasting no time before using it to slice the fabric covering her until it rode loose around her ribcage and waist and exposed the graceful arch of her spine. I laid her more gently on her back and watched her face anxiously for any sign of life, "Elizabeth? Bess, please open your eyes," I begged, unable to do anything but pray she'd wake up.  
I sighed in relief when I saw her chest moving up and down again. A sudden thought occurred to me then and I quickly took off my coat, placing it over her small form in case she was uncomfortable, even if it was only her back that was exposed.


	5. Burn, Dress, Burn!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess wakes up to find she'd passed out during her first kiss and Sam catches a glimpse of something he shouldn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Bess's POV!

I was aware that I was laying on something that was uncomfortably cold and hard. Just as I tried to open my eyes, I felt something warm settle over me that smelled amazing. "Elizabeth? Bess? Please open your eyes," came a male voice from above me. I felt slight irritation at being called by my given name.  
I opened my eyes and saw a figure leaning over me. I couldn't make out his features because the bright moonlight was streaming directly behind him, but I thought I knew. Holden's scent swirled around me and I remembered that, just a moment ago, we had been kissing. And then I'd, what, passed out? Of course I had. Of. Fucking. Course.  
"Well, that could've gone better," I grumbled breathily, and heard him laugh. At the same time I realized he was holding my hand. The gentle pressure helped me focus.  
"Are you okay?" he asked, worry and relief both present in his voice. I nodded. I was light headed and the cold road was giving me goosebumps, but I felt good enough.  
"Help me up?" I requested and he started propping me to sit. I gasped when I felt smooth fabric of my dress fall off my chest. Sam furrowed his eyebrows when he saw the horror and chagrin on my face.  
I immediately brought my arms across myself to cover my chest, expecting to feel bare skin. I was surprised when my fingers were met with clothes. Granted, they weren't my clothes, but they covered me. I clutched them to me and stared at him accusingly. He'd cut up my dress? His eyes darted to my chest and back to my eyes. Then understanding dawned on him.  
"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "You weren't breathing so I kind of had to cut open the back of your dress to loosen the corset," he explained.  
I was instantly furious. This stupid fucking corset. These stupid nineteenth century clothes almost killed me! And they ruined my kiss! Oh, I was going to burn every piece of clothing on my body, then burn every piece of clothing that was made before nineteen eighty.  
"I had to do it. You were dying right in front of me!" he started defending himself and I realized I'd been glaring at him as I planned the burning ceremony, "I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable, really, I am. I just couldn't-"  
"No, no, no," I interrupted, feeling bad for making him think I was angry with him, "Thank you. It's just, I've always hated these stupid clothes and for good reason apparently. One of them almost just killed me!" I was going to make my dad stop having these parties if it was the last thing I did. Or I'd just grow a pair and refuse to be ordered around by him anymore.  
"Oh," he relaxed, sighing in relief. Then he frowned. "Um, what are you going to do about... that?" he asked, gesturing to where I still clutched his coat to me.  
I thought about it. The first thing I wanted to do was take off the corset. "Can you turn around for a sec?" I asked timidly. He complied quickly. I couldn't believe I was about to do this in public.  
I turned my back to him and let the coat drop, cursing when the cold night air blew against my bare chest. Sam whipped his head around as soon as I made a noise and his eyes widened when he saw me before he quickly turned away.  
"Sorry! Oh, crap, sorry Bess," he kept muttering out apologies as I sat there, horrified, hands covering my chest. I wanted to throw something at him in anger and at the same time crawl under a rock in mortification. He'd seen me naked. This guy I'd known for about an hour had seen me naked. Nobody had ever seen my boobs except me.  
I quickly pulled my corset out the front of the dress. It slid away easily thanks to the clean slice Sam had used. I threw it to the ground and pulled the red bodice up my front. I sighed at my predicament. It wasn't going to stay up on it's own.  
Pursing my lips, I looked at the off-the-shoulder sleeves. I pulled them up on my shoulders until they supported the red that loosely hugged my torso. I stood up and pulled Sam's jacket on, sliding all the buttons into their respective loops that stopped just below my breasts. So much for modesty.


	6. Just a Glimpse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam's internal monologue after catching Beth exposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam's POV

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I hadn't meant to turn around, but it was reflexive. She made a noise and I automatically turned to check on her. I'd only been turned around for maybe a second before I got my wits about me and looked away, but it was too late. I'd seen everything.  
She had been sitting there, my coat in her lap, while her entire torso was bare. I now knew that all her beautiful pale skin was perfect, unblemished. So. Fucking. Perfect. It didn't help that her skin flushed when she saw me as I saw her, mouth and eyes opening in surprise.  
I tried to forget. That's what a good man would do. I tried to forget the gentle curve of her waist. I tried to forget the soft swell of her breasts. I tried to forget all the intimate areas that were not supposed to be seen by me. I tried, all to no avail. That image would be burned into my brain forever.  
I did my best to ignore the sound of shifting clothing behind me. I could see only too clearly the way her body would look as she moved... Shit!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it was short but it was only supposed to be a short look at his reaction to Bess.


	7. Kissing to Forget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam starts acting strange after 'the incident'. Bess doesn't know how to fix it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bess POV

"Okay, let's go," I growled, but he didn't turn, seemingly lost in his thoughts. I flushed in anger and embarrassment about what he was probably thinking about. I saw a small rock on the ground and picked it up before hurling it at his back. It wasn't hard enough to hurt him, just to prove my point.  
He turned hesitantly, eyes on the ground, and got to his feet. I rolled my eyes and walked past him. When I turned back to face him, he was still staring at his feet.  
I stopped and he almost knocked me over in his oblivion. Well, that's what happens when you aren't looking where you're going. He caught me by the waist before I fell but immediately took his hands back before stepping away like I burned him.  
What was his deal? Surely he'd seen boobs before. Not on me, of course, but still. Was I really going to be the one that would have to fix this?  
"Don't do that," I sighed. I wanted to go back to how we were before I inconveniently passed out. I wanted to still be kissing him. I wondered if we'd still be kissing, like one of those long make out scenes in romance movies. Or porn.  
He looked at his feet. "What?" he replied, trying and failing to sound nonchalant.  
"Stop ignoring me. Let's just be like we were before," I begged, placing a hand on his chest.  
He looked me in the eyes, expression unchanged. I could think of only one thing to do to distract him. I pushed myself up on my toes and pulled his face down to mine, fitting my lips to his.  
I could tell that I caught him off guard and he froze for just a second before holding my face in his hands, deepening the kiss. I began to feel hopeful that he'd get over this until he put both hands on my hips and carefully pushed me away.  
The voice in my head got the better of me as I started talking, "Shit. Sorry," I mumbled quietly in my embarrassment, unable to meet his eyes after his clear rejection. "I just wanted you to forget about it but that was the wrong move, I guess" he didn't react so I continued. "I want to continue whatever this is but you obviously don't so I'm sorry...goodnight," I finished, turning away from his shocked face and taking off towards the inn. At that moment, I was very glad I'd worn converse.  
"Bess!" I heard Sam call, and I ran faster, unwilling to show weakness in front of him. I was almost in view of the inn. Just a few more steps-  
"Bess," Sam said with a huff as he grabbed my wrist. I should've known he'd be faster than me. Stupid dress. I stopped, still turned away. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. I repeated it like a mantra in my head. He walked to stand in front of me. "What are you talking about?" Don't cry. I closed my eyes.  
"What?" I asked as I looked at the ground, unable to keep my voice from breaking.  
"What did you mean?" he questioned, still catching his breath.  
Was he really going to make me repeat it? I didn't think he was that cruel, but apparently I was wrong. I took a deep breath. Don't cry.  
"I guess I just thought you'd want to kiss me. Or want me to kiss you. I was wrong. I'm sorry," I explained in a mumble, concentrating on my cuticles. Don't cry.  
"Are you serious?" he asked.  
"What?" I responded, surprised at that angle after my confession. Yes, I had been very wrong about his cruelty level.  
He took my face in his hands, forcing me to look at all his handsome glory. He was smiling softly. "Bess, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. It's ridiculous to think I, or anyone, wouldn't want you. It was just that every time I looked at you, your shirt disappeared," he explained softly and I forgot my mantra, causing a tear to slide down my cheek even as I half laughed at the last part.  
He brought his face down to mine and kissed away the tear before his lips traveled to mine for the second time. My hands rested limply against his chest. I felt boneless and he placed one hand on the small of my back to steady me, probably to keep me from passing out again. This kiss was less urgent. It was gentle and it made me believe him. It made my insecure voice shut up.


	8. Color Me Jealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you've heard the song, you know that Tim is the ostler on the farm. He's more of a handy-man in my modern adaptation, but his part is still the same. He is still in love with the landlords daughter (Bess). This chapter is Tim's POV seeing Sam and Bess together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tom's POV

I couldn't believe my eyes or my ears. I'd never seen this man before and he had already seen her shirtless? I'd been trying to do that for the last four years. And what else? He had made her think she wasn't attractive? It made absolutely no sense. If I'd seen her naked I wouldn't have been able to look away. I couldn't stand it. I want to see the skin of her stomach and glorious breasts. I want to have that memory in my head forever, to be able to call on it whenever I want to.  
Then he kissed her. My blood boiled as she let him in. Let a stranger do all these things to her. What was happening? She wasn't a slut. She shouldn't give her body to some random guy. She should give it to someone she's known her whole life. To someone who has always been there for her.  
From the day she'd been born she was special to me. I'd always loved her. But, when she blossomed into a woman, it was different. She was a new person, but still the same. I needed her. I had to have her. I resolved that I would have her as she made out with the stranger who'd seen her naked.


	9. Unlawful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam comes clean when he sneaks into Bess's room later that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bess's POV

"What the hell is going on here?!" I heard Stuart's voice break my concentration and, therefore, the kiss. He was lumbering towards us like he wanted to kill us both. Probably more Sam than me, but still. I pushed Sam behind me.  
As soon as Stuart reached us he grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Sam. "You are coming with me," he commanded as he dragged me. I felt the blood drain from my face. I couldn't lose him. I felt anger rise up in me.  
"Dad, stop!" I snapped, planting my feet. He looked back at me and his face froze when he saw the residue from my earlier tears and my torn clothing. He was suddenly even more livid with a trace of horror.  
"What did he do to you?" he asked me, not waiting for an answer before letting me go and marching past me to get Sam. "What did you do to her?!" he screamed, and I ran towards him, putting myself in between the two of them. This was going to get ugly fast.  
"Dad! He didn't do anything to me. If anything, I did something to him!" I defended, thinking back about how I was the one who surprise attacked him. I heard a chuckle from behind me and grit my teeth in response. Smug bastard.  
"Well, I say that you can't kiss someone here, and he's not staying!" he yelled, pointing at Sam. Stuart was still furious, but his breathing was steady again. I knew it was okay if Sam left now. He could come back tomorrow. Almost as if my dad had read my thoughts, he added, "And he's not allowed back here, either."  
"Yes, he is," I replied calmly. I wasn't going to lose Sam. I'd been waiting too long for him to come into my life.  
"You can't tell me who or isn't allowed here. This is my la-" I held up a hand to stop him.  
"Dad, I'm going to see him. With or without your permission because, like it or not, I'm an adult. That means I can do what I want," I said, turning to Sam and letting my desperation show as I left his side. I could talk tough but was probably unable to follow through.  
Sam saw the fear and uncertainty on my face as I walked quickly back to him before Stuart could stop me. I threw my arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around my waist, burying his face in my hair before whispering, "Listen tonight." He was so quiet nobody else had a chance of hearing. I smiled into his neck and brought my head back up to kiss him lightly before letting go.  
My dad immediately started ushering me away and through the front door and I was surprised to realize that nobody was at the party anymore. Was it over? How long had we been gone? My alarm clock read 9:45. Wow, what a lame party.  
I closed my bedroom door behind me and started shucking off my layers until I was down to my underwear. I got my blue nightgown out of my drawer and put it on. It had spaghetti straps and stopped just above my mid-thigh.  
Then, I put Sam's coat back on, breathing in the scent that was distinctly him. He'd said to wait for him tonight, so I got out a book and sat in the window nook to keep my mind active until he came. Half an hour later I heard someone whistling outside.  
I smiled to myself as I sat up straight and pressed both hands against the window, peering into the darkness for movement. Finally, I saw him climbing up the panelling on the house. I opened my window wide, realizing he was coming in. It was strange, the way he was able to balance himself so well. I hadn't pegged him for a parkour guy.  
Before I knew it he was standing in my room and I felt like I'd stepped into a teen romance movie. I wanted to kiss him right then and there but something about his expression told me now wasn't the time. His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips were pressed together. He looked at me warily.  
"What's wrong?" I asked quietly. Stuart usually slept like the dead, but there was no need to take chances. Sam was pacing and looked at me with a pained expression.  
I stood up from where I'd been seated on the bed and touched his hand lightly in comfort, my hand barely visible with his coat sleeve hanging too long. He looked at our connected hands, then at me, before pulling us to where we were both sitting on the edge of the bed.  
"I really like you so I don't wanna lie," he started. "I need to tell you something," he said softly, still looking at our hands. He took a deep breath, "You remember how I told you I was a co-partner in a business and that I was taking a year off to travel?" I nodded, "Well, that's all true, but it's a little more complicated than I made it seem," he paused for a moment and I was worried about what was coming, "You see, my partner screwed me and took my share six months ago. I got kicked out of the company that I helped build," he let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "I have money saved up in the bank enough to fund my travel expenses, but not much else. So..." he glanced up at me from under his eyelashes, "... I've been hitting big cities to target corporations... stealing..." I could tell that this was hard for him to say, "They call me the Highwayman."  
I'd heard that name. I'd seen it in the papers. The man that I was crazy about was a thief. Why was I not calling the cops? Why wasn't I mad or afraid? I probably should've been, but I wasn't. All I felt was sympathy. It must suck getting double crossed. He worked so hard to build something and it was taken away.  
I searched myself for a part of me that liked him less because of this, but my feelings hadn't changed. If anything I liked him more because he respected me enough to tell the truth. Maybe there was something wrong with me.  
I removed my hand from his and watched as his expression shifted to painful resignation. I stood and he continued to stare at his hand that was alone on the bed like it was the only thing left.  
I sat sideways on his lap and put my arms around his neck. I laid my head on his shoulder. "Okay," I said softly. I then took the opportunity to press a sweet, lingering kiss to his lips. I pulled back and looked at his face.  
"Okay?" he asked in disbelief. He'd clearly expected me to run straight to the phone and call the cops. Maybe he thought I'd run screaming from the room.  
He put a finger under my chin to tilt my face up while he scrutinized my expression. I kissed him again. His lips were addictive. I just couldn't get enough. His hands moved to settle on my coat-covered hips and he laughed lightly against my lips before pulling away and looking down at my attire.  
"What're you wearing that for?" he asked, amused.  
"It reminds me of you," I answered semi-honestly. No need to tell him I liked being surrounded by his scent.  
"Well, I'm here now. You don't need to be reminded. I know that's not comfortable," he replied dubiously, and I sighed. He was right, the coat wasn't comfortable. It was stiff and too big. Maybe no clothes from that time period were comfy and that's why they all acted like they had a stick up their ass.  
I stood up and walked over to the hook on the wall to hang it up, shimmying it down my arms. I smoothed the fabric after I hung it up and turned around.


	10. A Little Blue Dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam has trouble keeping a clean mind when he sees Bess's nightgown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam's POV

Why did I tell her to take the coat off? I didn't have a valid reason for doing it and she hadn't complained. Plus, she looked great in my clothes. But it was too late to do anything about it now. I couldn't very well ask her to put it back on when I was the one who'd told her to take it off.  
Now here she was, wearing almost nothing. If the revealing blue cotton she wore to bed had been made of silk, it would've been classified as lingerie. Oh, this is just perfect, I thought sarcastically. Why did she have to be so fucking beautiful?  
Her hair and eyes had looked very good against the red she'd worn before, but the dress had hidden her actual shape. Her waist was still thin but was more natural and her breasts looked even bigger now that they weren't smashed against her chest. I was so screwed.  
She sat back down on my lap and I looked at the wall across from me, keeping my eyes clear of the cleavage that was now right in front of my face. I saw her hands ball up into fists in my peripheral vision. She got up and walked over to the window, shutting the blinds and pulling the curtains.  
She sat down again and it was very hard to ignore how her dress rode up even more when she was sitting. I had a nearly overwhelming urge to touch her bare thigh just lightly. The blue cotton didn't keep me from feeling how soft she was like the constricting dress had. It was so-  
My thoughts were thankfully cut off as she put her hands on each side of my face and made me look at her. "Stop doing that," she ordered, staring straight into my green eyes with her black ones.


	11. Inside Tracks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little back and forth between Bess and Sam POV.

Bess POV  
I grumbled internally at the frustrating deja vu. I'd thought we were past this whole him-seeing-me-naked thing. He was looking at me with a strange expression that nobody had ever given me before. It sent a chill down my spine.  
"I thought we'd come to an agreement that you would look at me from now on. I thought that, once we'd talked about what happened out there, you'd get over it," I sighed, pushing away my irritation and replacing it with as much patience as I could muster. He closed his eyes and I couldn't help the scowl that twisted my features.  
"Um, it's not that. Though you bringing that up isn't exactly helpful," he responded, seeming uncomfortable.  
"Well, what else would make you act so..." I searched for the right word, "...bashful?" I guess that was close enough. His face was almost as red as the famous dwarf's. He let out a short laugh in spite of himself.  
"Bess... It's you're, er, pajamas. I mean, it's very, um, short?" he choked out awkwardly.  
I looked down at myself and realized for the first time that he was right. I hadn't even thought about how exposing these pajamas were, because I wore super-slutty stuff to sleep in every night. After all, this was Georgia in the summer.  
"Oh!" I squeaked, jumping out of his lap and pulling a pair of faded skinny jeans out of my laundry hamper. I figured it was okay since I'd only worn them once before throwing them in the pile of dirty clothes. I scrambled to pull them up to my waist and thought I heard a quiet intake of breath, turning back to him giving me an appreciative while still rueful smile.  
________________________________________________________________________  
Sam POV  
It was almost comical watching her face morph from from frustration with me, to confusion as she took in my words, then her big eyes got even bigger as understanding dawned on her and she shot out my lap like she'd been sitting on a stove top.  
She grabbed the closest available jeans and pulled them up quick, looking slightly awkward in her haste. Yes, it was pretty funny. I smiled to myself until my humor suddenly vanished when I was forced to suck in a breath at the sight before me.  
Her nightgown rode up on her ass as she pulled up her pants and I got a glimpse of her underwear. It was lacy, black, and small. Good God. It was like every chance that I had to see her indecent I ended up taking. All unintentionally. A part of me realized that it was weird to not want to see these amazing sights, since I actively sought them out with other girls. I guess that was further proof that she was different.  
Still, I was torn about whether I wanted to see more or less by the time she turned around.  
"Better?" she asked, popping one hip out. Again, I was torn on what I wanted to see. Well, I actually knew what I wanted to see. I wanted to see what any other hot-blooded male would want to see.  
However, the more I got to know her and how small this town was, the more I thought she might be a little inexperienced, and I didn't want to take the chance of things accidentally getting out of hand because I couldn't control myself.


	12. Experience is Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Bess talk about sex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bess POV

"Yeah. Definitely better," he approved, and I tried to keep my face smooth at his excessive enthusiasm. I knew why he wanted me covered, but it still hurt a little that he didn't seem to have even the tiniest desire to see underneath the thin fabric of my outfit.  
"How old are you?" he asked all of a sudden. There was an emotion in his eyes that I didn't understand.  
"I'm 20," I answered. "How old are you?" I parroted after a short pause.  
"24," he replied, seeming relieved.  
"Why?" I inquired. He hadn't seemed to care earlier.  
He paused, face turning red. "No reason. I was just curious," he lied. It made me happy to realize he was a bad liar. That's a great quality in a boyfriend.  
"Seriously, why'd you ask?" I continued questioning. What would make him blush? I thought over the times he blushed tonight. It hadn't happened often. I tried to understand how my age would make a difference in our relationship and then I couldn't help but laugh. "Oh my God, did you think I was underage?" I asked incredulously.  
"No!" he responded, shocked. "It's just, I was pretty sure..." he trailed off and closed his eyes, seeming to regret saying anything. Well it was too late for that. My curiosity raged.  
"About what?" I urged.  
He sighed and looked out the window as he spoke. "I was pretty sure you've never...you know... before and I just wondered how old you were..." his voice got more and more quiet the longer he spoke.  
I felt my face heat up hotter than ever before. I flushed all the way to my toes in horror and embarrassment. Was it really that obvious that I was a virgin? Did I have a sign on my forehead that read 'innocent' or 'untouched'? Then I paled. What if that turned him off? I'd heard that some guys don't want the weight of that decision on them.  
He'd said he'd wanted me earlier, but that could've been before he saw me as a virgin. How would I know? I didn't think he'd make a move with me because he'd try to be a gentleman. But it could also be because he didn't want me now. And it's not like he'd come out and tell me if he had a change of heart. That insecure voice came back with a vengeance.  
"Bess? I'm sorry for asking," I heard from across the room, and I realized I was just staring at him with a horror-struck expression as I spiraled into depression. "Are you okay?"  
I closed my eyes, forcing away the self-deprecating thoughts. "What makes you think I...haven't...?" I questioned to keep the conversation going. If I could focus on the present, I could suppress the depressing thoughts.  
The strangest expression flickered across his face in response but it was gone in the next instant. The only thing I'd been able to make out was that it wasn't positive.  
"This is a pretty small town so it seems like there may not have been many opportunities. Then you said that you spent a lot of time taking care of your dad, which probably didn't leave a lot of time for boyfriends," he explained. There was a consistent edge in his voice that didn't show in his expression.  
So maybe I didn't emit some kind of signal, he was just really logical. Maybe. Or he was trying to placate me.  
I shook my head to shake off the subject of my innocence and went to sit next to him on the bed. He gave me a chaste kiss before pulling away and I sighed internally. I'd love to make out, but he probably wouldn't.  
He looked at me for a short moment before smiling and flopping backwards, staring up at my popcorn ceiling. I looked down at his peaceful expression for a second before laying down next to him, threading my fingers through his.  
"You know, when I was a kid, I used to try to find random patterns in the ceiling when I couldn't fall asleep," I admitted softly.  
"That's cute," he said, a smile in his voice, and I felt the blanket shift as he turned his head to look at me.  
"I used to do a similar thing with my mom," he continued quietly, "But we tried to find patterns in the stars." I felt his head shift as he looked back to the ceiling and let out a short, breathy laugh, "And, before you say anything, I know that there are things called constellations. But we just had fun trying to find different patterns than the ones astronomers said existed. I don't know, I just loved laying out at night. It makes me kinda sad that people don't really notice the stars anymore."  
This time I looked at the side of his face as he stared up. "I do," I countered. He tilted his head until our gazes locked. I could tell he thought I was saying that for his benefit. "No, really. Remember tonight when I got lost in thought?" he grinned widely and I rolled my eyes but continued, "I was distracted by the stars. I've always thought they were the one good thing about living in this small town. It's so easy to see the stars. In those big cities, the lights cover them up."  
I sighed in content, scooting closer until our bodies were touching, hands trapped in between us. He shifted away a moment later, but before I could get hurt or irritated, I realized he was just moving to lay on his side, head propped up on his elbow as he looked down on my face, expression tender.  
Using the hand not supporting his head, he gently cupped my face in his hands before leaning down, meaning to give me a quick kiss. Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t close to being done. 20 years of pent up sexual energy had finally been let loose tonight, and I couldn't get enough.  
I thread my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and kept him down as he moved to pull away. His hand slipped off my cheek and down to my collarbone in surprise before he responded.  
He deepened the kiss, pressing me farther into the bed as he moved his chest over mine. My breathing was becoming shallow and I broke away, in the hopes of preventing another fainting episode. I didn't have on the corset anymore but it's better safe than sorry.  
His mouth traveled down my jaw and I tilted my head back instinctively, presenting the skin of my throat for him to ravish. He stopped his descent when his lips reached his hand, where it was still resting over my collarbone.  
It seemed to snap him out of his trance and I recognized his 'I'm going to be a gentleman now' face, so I wasn't surprised when he sat all the way up, sitting on the edge of the bed. I was in no hurry to move so I just lay there while I waited for my breathing to go back to normal. A thought popped into my head.  
"Say, would you have stopped kissing me just now if I hadn't put on pants?" I asked for future reference. I needed to get an idea of what would weaken his willpower the most.  
He smiled in spite of himself. "Maybe not," he answered, and I added it to my mental checklist. I would strive to wear more dresses and skirts from now on. He laughed at my determined expression.  
Then he sighed, "But it wouldn't be a good idea."  
"Why not?" I asked through my teeth, because I knew exactly what the 'why' was.  
"Because you never know where a kiss like that will lead, especially if we're alone and already in your bed," he explained, seeming unhappy, which made me feel better. That meant he wanted to sleep with me.  
He looked at me skeptically when I bit my lip, considering. He probably thought I would've been anxious or adopted the serious expression he wore. I sat up and studied his face, then his body, then back up again.  
"What are you thinking about?" He questioned curiously, using his thumb to smooth the place where my eyebrows were furrowed in thought.  
"So you're saying you think we can't make out without it turning into sex?" I asked, not wanting to tell him the conflict raging inside me. Knowing him, he'd probably give a hard no if he knew there was any doubt in my mind.  
"Not exactly," he clarified. "I'm just saying that it's easy to get caught up in it and not realize how far you're actually going. Especially with you. I don't think coherently when I'm with you and I don't want us to get caught up in the moment and do something you aren't ready for. I mean, it's different with other girls," he continued without looking at me. That was a big mistake on his part, because my glare that was aimed at him would've stopped him from finishing his sentence, "Because they have experie-" he cut himself off as he finally saw my expression. My absolutely livid expression.  
It was the first time I'd ever been actually angry with him. There were times when I'd gotten irritated, but never fully angry. I was now. Why on earth would he say that? How could any man ever think it would be a good idea to compare his girlfriend to other women he's slept with? The rage made my face hot and I could feel my nails digging into my palms because of how tight my hands were balled up. I pushed away from the bed and walked to the windows, putting space between us.  
It was stupid of me to get jealous. I couldn't have expected him to be a virgin. He was too amazing to never get hit on or asked out and he was a 24 year old guy. Still, all that was swirling around in my head were his words saying he would sleep with girls who were more experienced. And I could only imagine the other girls as tall blondes with blue eyes and tanned skin.  
"Shit! Bess, I didn't mean it like that," he tried to cover, taking a step towards me. I stepped back. "Bess, just because they were more..." he started, but my gaze warned him that if he used the word experienced one more time, I might push him out the window. "....it doesn't mean I wanted them more. Of course it doesn't. I'd prefer you the way you are now. You have no idea how selfishly glad I am that there haven't been any other guys."  
"Sam. All I'm hearing my head right now is that you slept with women because they were experienced," I grimaced at the word before continuing. "Take a second to think about that. It means my inexperience is the only reason you don't want to sleep with me," I concluded, hating the truth of it. That was exactly what I'd been afraid of earlier.  
"I'm sorry for making you feel that way," he replied, "But, if it helps, I want to sleep with you. You are amazing. You're kind and beautiful and funny and sexy."  
He stepped toward me again. I didn't step away but I crossed my arms in front of my chest, keeping him out. His flattery barely had any effect against the vicious jealousy and inadequacy ripping through me. I was glad I was hiding my eyes so he didn't see the tears of anger and embarrassment making my vision hazy.  
"Bess, please look at me," he begged when I didn't respond, his hand coming to rest lightly on my folded arms. I shook my head violently, accidentally causing a tear to spill over and land on his hand. He pulled his hand away to inspect and then he wrapped his arms tightly around me.  
"I'm sorry," he whispered into my ear before pressing his lips to my forehead.  
I sighed and gave in. The jealousy was still very present but I worked to push it into a deep corner in my mind. Shutting him out or being angry was illogical and I was nothing if not logical. I uncrossed my arms and hugged his waist, feeling very small as I pressed my body against him.


	13. The Art of Thinking Before You Speak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam's internal monologue following his word vomit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam POV

I was such an idiot. I should've thought about the words coming out of my mouth before I said them. I mean, there she was, this perfect, amazing woman, and for some reason I was talking about the other women I had slept with.  
She had every right to be angry. I mean, why on earth would I bring that up? I was such an idiot. Again. I just kept hurting her. First with the whole avoidance and now with making comparisons. Then there was that lone tear.  
My next move was natural. I had to hold her. To comfort her. I needed her to know that she was all I wanted, knowing she hadn't heard it when I said it aloud.  
But then she hugged me back. I was sure that, if I were in her spot, I'd be so hurt and angry that my mood wouldn't let up until the sun came up. Even though I knew she'd never been with anyone, my mind irritatingly created detailed pictures of her in someone else's arms. Someone else kissing her, touching her, seeing her.... Even worse, her kissing other guys, touching other guys, being with other guys... No. It'd be hard for me to get over her bringing something like that up at a time like this.  
But she was already forgiving me. This was why I liked her. She had so much kindness in her. And, for some reason, she liked me back. I didn't know what I could've done to be this lucky, but I held her tighter and internally thanked myself for doing it.


	14. The Bend and Snap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess gets an idea and Sam catches another moment of indecency.

Bess POV  
I pulled away first, realizing that it was probably late and I should get to bed. I looked up into his eyes and felt that jealousy I'd been studiously ignoring disappear. They were full of love.  
"Well, I think it's late so we should probably get to sleep," I recommended, walking back to the hamper to take off my jeans because there was no way I was sleeping in them. I heard a sharp intake of breath and smiled to myself. I wonder what that was about? "Problem?" I called innocently over my shoulder, before remembering a certain scene from Legally Blonde. The bend and snap.  
________________________________________________________________________  
Sam POV  
I didn't really think about what she was walking over to do so, once again, I got a look at those black lace panties as she bent to take her jeans off. In my shock, I couldn't help letting out a small gasp. I fervently hoped she hadn't heard but I was pretty sure she had because I saw her pause for a fraction of a second, asking that demure little question before bending all the way over at the waist.  
Shit. I knew her nightgown was thin but it was fucking see-through when she bent over! I didn't get a glimpse of underwear. No, I got the whole image. I saw the lines and lace and curves and everything.  
Then it got worse. Or better, depending on how you look at it. Once she grabbed the clothing off the floor she snapped back up, chest pushed forward and hair whipping down her back. I should've looked away when I got that first glance. Then I saw a tiny smile grace her face that disappeared as she turned back to me.  
I couldn't believe it. She'd done it on purpose. She knew exactly what the problem was. She was intentionally teasing for the first time. She was punishing me. Shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More chapters on the way but I can't upload them at the moment.


	15. The Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the end of the night and Bess decides she's not ready for Sam to leave.

I plodded over to the bed and started turning down the comforter, before noticing that he was standing still as a statue right where I'd left him, looking distracted.  
"What's wrong?" I asked, amused. Definitely worked 98% of the time.  
"Oh, um, nothing," He said before shaking his head like he was trying to get rid of some thought. "I guess I better be going then. I’m staying in a hotel on the other side of town," he mumbled, turning away but stopping when he heard me laugh as I got into bed, back resting against the headboard.  
"That's ridiculous," I responded, "You're sleeping here." Obviously.  
"Wait... what?" he sounded honestly surprised that I would ever want such a thing.  
"Well, I'm inviting you to spend the night," I elaborated, before wincing slightly as a new thought occurred to me, "If you want to, that is."  
"Well, yeah of course I want to. But... sleeping here..." he gestured to my queen-sized bed with that same look of caution.  
I sighed, exasperated, "Look, you don't have to be solely responsible if anything happens. I'm a big girl. I can decide what I do and don't want."  
He still looked wary and I knew he was thinking about the ramifications of sleeping so close to me while I was wearing this tiny outfit. I knew I was.  
"Stop thinking about it so hard. Just relax," I suggested before curling a finger in invitation. I then held up the same hand into a stopping motion when he was a couple feet away.  
"Sorry, but I'm going to need you to take off that shirt. I'm not going to be able to sleep next to all those ruffles." It was true that the ruffles would definitely get in the way, but what I really needed was to see him half naked. It was only fair, after all.  
He seemed conflicted as he looked down at the ridiculous shirt. I could see it in his eyes before he spoke, "I don't think that's a good idea."  
I expected that answer, so I'd already come up with a response. "That's not fair," I fake pouted. "You saw me with no shirt. I should get to see you," I said, crossing my arms and trying very hard not to smile at his shocked expression.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in the song, the characters are already in love. Since my adaptation is modern, I have to take a bit of time to show them falling in love before I continue the story line. But it will continue!


	16. Tit for Tat

I stiffened in surprise at her casual mention of it. Then I was slightly distracted, remembering the moment she so willingly recalled. Skin shining in the moonlight, perfectly smooth with no imperfections, like a china doll. Then those big, beautiful-  
My thoughts were cut off when a pillow was chucked at my head. It was then that I realized my eyes had wandered to the place I was thinking of and it had been clear that I was remembering. I felt my face heat up.  
"Okay, that's it. Shirt off. Now," she demanded. She seemed irritated but there was a hint of something else in her eyes that gave me the distinct impression that she wasn't.  
"But-" I protested. I knew me being shirtless lying with her in that nightgown would do absolutely nothing to help my willpower.  
"No," she cut me off, "You obviously get to recall me in all my naked glory whenever you want. I should have that same option," she reasoned.  
I huffed a laugh. "So this is a tit for tat situation, huh?" I teased, my wordplay making her laugh. Nonetheless, I started unbuttoning my shirt as she watched with hawk like attention.  
"I don't think this is quite even. I mean, I only got a fraction of a seconds glance..." I hinted and she grabbed another pillow.  
"I've got three more of these ready to throw," she playfully warned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't noticed, Sam's chapters have been shorter compared to Bess's. This is because the story is being told primarily from Bess's POV. I'm just one of those people that really loves getting glimpses into other characters mind's every now and then.


	17. Self Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess gets Sam to sleep with her.

I'd like to say I tried not to watch, but I wasn't a gentleman. I stared openly at his muscular torso as it slowly but surely was revealed. He let the white garment slip off his shoulders and onto the floor.  
I had to bite down on my lip to keep from smiling in victory. Or moaning at the sight. I'd actually gotten him to take his shirt off without having to resort to brazen seduction. I saw a ripple go through him as his eyes focused on my lip that was still between my teeth. I let it go and he took the two steps necessary to step to the edge of the bed.  
I huffed out a breath of impatience and grabbed his hand, pulling on it hard enough for him to tumble onto the pink comforter. I giggled as he fell down, upper body sprawled over my legs that were, thankfully, hidden by the blanket. I could only imagine the stoic reaction I'd get if I pulled him down onto my bare legs.  
He gave a playful scowl before situating himself under the covers next to me, putting space between us. I shifted until I was pressed firm against him, resting my head against his shoulder. I wanted to throw my arm and leg over him but I was afraid he'd get up and leave.  
I could hear his heart beating fast and his breathing didn't entirely seem even. I laughed at his body's reaction.  
It took awhile, but he ended up being able to relax into the bed with me, even reaching his arm between me and the mattress to grab my waist and pull me closer. I let out a little hum and he flinched.  
"I knew you had enough self control..." I teased, ten seconds away from unconsciousness. As I slipped away I wondered if I really wanted self control right now.  
He chuckled once and pulled me closer. "That makes one of us," was the last thing I heard before I was out.


	18. I Walked With You Once Upon a Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess's subconscious is a little more passionate than she anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very, very mild sexual content. Seriously.

sness. As I slipped away I wondered if I really wanted self control right now.  
He chuckled once and pulled me closer. "That makes one of us," was the last thing I heard before I was out.  
________________________________________________________________________  
I awoke to someone shifting next to me. I squinted my eyes open and saw that it was still dark outside. I looked over at Sam, who was getting out of bed. I was instantly awake.  
"Where are you going?" I asked, trying not to sound too clingy.  
He jumped when he heard my voice. Clearly, he hadn't known I was awake. He turned to me as he finished tucking in his shirt, expression soft with something underlying it.  
"I just need to go get a change of clothes," he replied, eyes darting away from me. He wasn't a very good liar.  
"Why?" I countered, looking up at him from beneath my lashes the way flirty girls do. They always seemed to be able to get guys to do what they wanted, and I wanted him to stay.  
"I just, um, want to make sure nobody sees me sneaking out in the morning," he lied again, eyes darting away as I made my way over to where he was.  
I dragged myself up to kiss him when I reached him, trailing my nails lightly along his chest. He kissed me back gently. I could tell he didn't want to hurt my feelings again, but I didn't want soft kisses right now.  
I wrapped my arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. He stood up but I didn't let him get away, instead rising onto my knees to keep our mouths connected. .  
He finally seemed to break through his control a little. He carded his fingers through my hair and continued down my spine. His fingers reached the lacey hemline of my underwear through my nightgown and my stomach did a little flip of anticipation.  
Unfortunately, as soon as his fingers registered what they were touching he immediately stepped back, breaking my hold. I scowled at his gentlemanly expression that I'd come to associate with disappointment and tried not to fall forward off the bed.  
"Okay, Bess," he warned, putting a hand out. "I would really appreciate it if you put on baggy pants and a sweatshirt right about now," he pled, face desperate.  
"But those aren't as easy to get off as this one," I countered, watching confusion cross his face. I was surprised at my brazen flirtation but kept my gaze steady. The longer I stared, the more his face looked more disbelieving than it did confused.  
"Do you plan on taking this off?" he questioned skeptically, but I could see a tiny sliver of desire he didn't want to feel.  
"No," I said, teasing. I watched the emotion disappear before I continued, "I plan on you taking this off," I finished before he could say anything else.  
I'd never seen his eyebrows shoot so high up and I watched every emotion pass through his eyes. Before he settled on one, I got up and walked towards him and kissed him again. His hands came to rest on my hip bones while mine snaked in between us to unbutton his shirt.  
He let me pull it off and we crashed back into each other, my hands roaming the expanse of his perfect chest and abs. He moaned into my mouth and I felt the vibrations shoot straight down to where I wanted him.  
I wasn't quite sure when we started walking but all of a sudden I felt the edge of the bed behind my legs. The bed. I wanted him, truly, but I couldn't calm my nerves. He felt my hesitation and pulled away.  
"You don't have to do this, you know." There was nothing but patience in his eyes. I knew I didn't have to do this. I wanted to do this. Hell, I’d initiated it.  
"I love you. I want you," I replied, just as serious. I knew this wasn't something to tease about. He took my virginity very seriously. More seriously than I did.  
I raised my arms straight above my head, producing a smile before biting down on my lip. It took him a second before he recognized what I was doing. He smiled back and looked straight into my eyes as he slowly lifted my nightgown over my head before tossing it to the side.  
He waited until my arms were down to allow his eyes to roam over the newly exposed skin. I flushed from head to toe when I noticed I had caused a slight disturbance near his zipper. He looked at my face, probably wondering why I was blushing so hard. I tried not to give anything away but my eyes accidentally darted down and back up. He followed my eyesight and laughed.  
I loved his smile and couldn't help but lean forward to kiss it. I let out a small moan when my breasts came in contact with his bare chest, and he responded in kind before letting his hands roam down my back until they cupped my still-clothed ass.  
I squealed when he picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist, earning a hum from him as he knee'd his way across the bed, laying me down with my head on a pillow.  
He immediately dove down to press kisses to my neck. I moaned his name when he reached my pulse point and gasped when his hands made their way up to my breasts. Right before I felt contact where I wanted it most, I started floating away from the erotic scene until it was gone.


	19. Yep, That's My Cue to GTFO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess wakes up next to Sam after her dream and realizes what had happened. Sam was not prepared to deal with her response and ends up in his hotel bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, mild warning for sexual content due to semi-nudity. Nothing to blush over.

I awoke to motion from Bess's side of the bed. She was tossing around and my tired brain slightly worried that she was having a nightmare. Then she let out a moan. A decidedly sensual moan. My eyes snapped open, drowsiness instantly gone.  
I sat up and looked at her. She wasn't tossing, she was writhing. The blanket was covering her bottom half but I could make out that her hips were moving back and forth. She gave a small gasp before it turned into a sigh.  
I shouldn't be watching this. I really shouldn't. This was personal. She probably would not want me watching this. But I couldn't tear my eyes away. She looked so sexy and I desperately wished I was there with her, in her dream.  
A sudden dark thought brought me up short. What if I wasn't the one in her dream? It could be some random guy. How did I know she didn't have these kinds of dreams every night? Irrational jealousy roared it's head as I continued watching her.  
She let out another long, low moan that trailed off into a whimper. Part of me was happy and part of me was angry. I would be overjoyed if I were the one in her dream with her. However, if some random guy was making her moan like that? No. That would not do.  
My thoughts were leading me down a dark road when she did the one thing that made me feel like the king of the world. "Sam...," she moaned, the last syllable of my name trailing off into a sigh.  
Yes! I was the one in her sex dream. She arched her back slightly off the mattress and moaned loud enough that I put my hand over her mouth. The last thing I wanted was to have her dad walk in here to see her having a sex dream with me laying next to her.  
Her eyes shot open and I immediately removed my hand from her mouth. She propped herself up on her elbows, looking disoriented and breathing heavily. All of a sudden she glared at me.  
"Did you wake me up?" she accused. I barely held back the laugh threatening to escape me at her furious and frustrated expression. I couldn't hold back my smile, though.  
"Don't you sit there and smile!" she hissed.  
"You woke yourself up," I said, holding my hands up in defense.  
"How could I wake myself up?" she asked skeptically.  
How to phrase the answer…? "You were being... loud. You woke me up first," I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling. I was still feeling a bit cocky.  
"Loud?" she repeated, then appeared deep in thought. "How could I have said something? There wasn't any conversation before I woke up," she replied, blushing.  
I'm sure there wasn't. "I never said you were talking. I just said you were loud," I hinted, thinking back to my name on her lips.  
"But what would be loud? The only thing I-" she suddenly stopped talking and I could see horror-filled realization come to her.  
I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling as her face heated up and she closed her eyes.  
She flopped back onto the pillow, covering her face with her hands. "Crap," she groaned. "Sorry for waking you up," she mumbled.  
"Trust me, it's okay," I assured her. "Feel free to wake me up like that anytime," I chuckled.  
She lifted her hands and glared at me, embarrassed, before her expression changed to one of contemplation. I had a split second to think before she closed the small space the bed allowed and pressed her lips to mine.  
I tried to stay firm. I tried to keep it in my head that this was a disaster waiting to happen, we didn’t need to move so fast, but it was hard to do when a beautiful woman was dominating all of my senses and I had the image of her writhing and moaning fresh in my mind. Lips still connected, Bess pushed me until I was flat against the bed. Her hands wandered across my bare chest as I tangled my fingers in her hair, fighting the urge to breathe.  
All of a sudden, she crawled over until she was straddling my waist. I couldn't help the groan that left me when I felt her breasts push against my chest, hidden only by a thin piece of cotton.  
I ran my hands up her smooth thighs and over her perfect ass until I dug my fingers into her hips, causing a shiver to roll down her spine. She broke away for air and I just continued down, kissing along her jaw and pale neck until I wasn't able to go any lower.  
She brought my face back to hers and my hands continued to explore up over the dip of her waist and the expanse of her ribcage until they reached her clothed breasts. She whimpered into my mouth as I palmed the two glorious globes, remembering how they looked bared in the moonlight.  
All of a sudden, Bess pulled away and sat up. Before I could question her, she crossed her arms in front of her, picking up the hem of her nightgown and pulling it over her head in one smooth movement. All women seemed to know that move and it was always hot, though even more so in this situation.  
I looked up at her in all her bare perfection and cursed the fact that the room was so dark. I could barely see the pale expanse of skin of her torso and the two perfect breasts that graced her chest. She was still, watching me watch her, before she leaned back down to kiss me again.  
I immediately let my hands go back to roaming her body, revelling in the feel of her newly exposed skin. She was so soft. When my hands roamed up her thighs and met the black lace I teasingly slid the tips of my fingers under the material before removing them and exploring her upper body. She whimpered.  
I moaned when my hands found their way back to her breasts before tracing a finger across her peaks. She broke the kiss with a gasp and pushed her chest further into my hands, sighing my name.  
I was close to losing any vestiges of control with the feel of her body against mine and my name on her lips. I had never wanted a woman so much in my life.  
I flipped us over quickly until she was on her back. She let out a small squeak at the swift movement and her eyes widened in surprise. That was all it took for my reasoning to come back to me. That innocent little squeak.  
I scrambled out of bed, eager to put space in between us and facing the window. I had almost lost control. I couldn't lose control. I had to keep my wits. She was only doing this because she was tired and, well, horny...  
With that thought fresh in my mind, I took deep breaths in and out to calm down.  
"What'd I do?" asked a timid voice from behind me, sounding hurt. I wanted to turn around and hug her and assure her she was perfect. However, I knew that she was probably still naked on her bed, and that was just too tempting.  
"Nothing Bess," I contradicted her, still facing the window. "You didn't do anything wrong. In fact, you did everything perfectly. That's why I couldn't remember to stop," I admitted, shaking my head at how stupid I'd been.  
"Sam-" she started to say, but I knew that, if I stayed here tonight, she'd end up doing something she'd regret.  
"I should go," I mumbled, interrupting her and walking to pick my shirt up off the floor while avoiding looking at her.  
"I don't want you to go," I heard her say sadly, resigned.  
"I don't want to go, either. But you're just too hot," I sighed. I guess there were worse problems, though.  
"Sam, I want you," she spoke evenly.  
God, did I want her, too. But I couldn't. I didn't trust either of us to make the right decision when we were both tired and lust-filled.  
"I can't. At least not here," I smiled to myself at a sudden thought before saying, "If we do anything here we will definitely be too loud and I don't think your dad would take kindly to us having sex ‘under his roof’."  
I heard a resigned grumble and knew she was in agreement. I was a little disappointed that she didn't pick up on my cocky comment about the noise but wasn't exactly surprised. It's not like she'd heard it before.  
"I'll miss you," she called softly and I smiled.  
"Are you dressed?" I asked over my shoulder.  
She laughed lightly, "Yes."  
I turned around to find her kneeling on the bed. She still looked tempting but at least she was covered again. I walked over to the bed and gave her a chaste kiss as I cupped her face in one hand.  
"I'll miss you, too," I breathed against her lips and headed for the window, climbing down the siding and hopping to the ground. It was strangely comfortable outside as I walked towards Midnight.  
He butted his head against me impatiently, pulling me out of my less-than-clean thoughts. Right. If I was about to ride five miles, a boner would definitely not be welcomed. I'd have time for that once I was in my own bed...  
I mounted the horse and took off down the empty road until I got to the motel I actually paid for. It had been the only one in town that had stables for Midnight. I walked him to the barn around back and bid him goodnight before returning to the lobby.  
It only took a few minutes to enter my room and get into more comfortable clothes. By that I meant boxers. I didn't waste any more time before slipping into the bed that was, compared to Bess's, really uncomfortable. Then again, it could just be that this bed lacked a beautiful woman.  
That thought took me down the road of my last minutes there. I closed my eyes and thought back over what had happened, looking past regret and focusing purely on what had happened.  
It was hard to think of a single aspect I desired most. Everything about her was hot. The way she moved... how she said my name... how she looked... how she felt... All of it was just so good.  
I made sure she was the last thing I thought about as sleep encompassed me. Maybe, in my dreams, I could experience what would've happened if I'd stayed.


	20. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Bess go on a date.

I awoke to disappointment. I had been hoping that I had just dreamed that he went back to his place. Apparently not. I was -objectively- able to see things the way he saw them. I didn't agree, but I could understand. I threw my covers down and jumped out of bed.  
I wasn't sure when, but I knew I'd see him today. That reminder definitely influenced my thoughts on what to wear. I thought back to my vow to wear more skirts and dresses so I dug deep into my closet.  
I ended up with a casual blue dress that hugged my torso and flared out loosely at my hips. I pursed my lips as I looked at the girly image. Deciding it didn't have enough 'me' in it, I decided to wear it with my converse instead of the suggested sandals. I put my hair up into a ponytail and bounded downstairs for breakfast.  
"Morning Dad," I chirped, unable to hide my good mood. He muttered in response, still grumpy. "He's just a guy, Dad. You should be grateful this didn't happen five years ago like with normal girls," I sighed, grabbing a bagel and cream cheese.  
"There's never a good time for your daughter to start dating," he replied. "If it was up to me, you'd be single forever," he added and I rolled my eyes.  
"How would you get any grandkids if I did that?" I hedged. He pursed his lips in thought.  
"Immaculate conception," he decided seriously as I took a bite.  
"Yeah, I'm sure I'll be the next Virgin Mary," I responded sarcastically.  
"It could happen," he commented with a shrug and I shook my head. "So, are you seeing him today?" he asked.  
"Probably," I answered, watching for his reaction.  
"Probably? The boy wasn't even decent enough to set a proper date?" he exclaimed, heavily disapproving. I gave a hard laugh.  
"I don't know if you remember last night, but we didn't really have time to make dinner plans before you towed me away," I reminded him. He didn't need to know that Sam had come over later and stayed for hours.  
"Whatever," he grumbled, putting his dishes away and leaving the room. I sighed at his demeanor, finishing my bagel in one big bite. I put the cream cheese and dishes away and walked outside.  
The sun felt brighter, warmer today. The whole world seemed to be different now that I met someone. Someone completely and totally amazing. Someone I liked so much I didn't care he was technically a criminal.  
I hadn't really stopped for a moment to think deeply about that. How much of a toll would this take on whatever relationship we had? Not in the sense of how I feel, because I really didn’t mind, but in stability. I couldn't really see him coming over for Sunday dinners or buying a house here, and I didn't want him to. I didn’t want to stay here.  
What I really wanted would be to continue with him wherever he was going. I wanted to travel up and down the coasts. But I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it the way he was doing it. It was hard to imagine myself robbing anyone, and I hated the danger it put him in.  
That was another thing to worry about. One day, we could just be having fun seeing the world and, in the next, he could be arrested and I'd be alone. All these thoughts swam around in my head like a top as I walked aimlessly.  
I spent time just wandering through our fields where our horses used to be. We'd just had two and they'd died the same year Mom left, but I could still feel their presence. It was like they were still here, bringing warm childhood memories. If I listened closely I could almost hear them.  
Wait. No. That noise was too real to be a memory. Where did that neigh co-  
Two arms wrapped around my waist from behind just in time for me to put the pieces together. I laughed when Sam spun me around and I turned to face him, still in his embrace. I realized then that there was a part of me that'd thought he was a dream. But, here he was, bathed in sunlight, smiling down at me.  
I pressed up in my tiptoes to kiss him once before pulling back again. I'd developed a small theory during the night. I knew he wanted me enough to almost lose control last night so, if I started being the one to pull away, would he get so riled up he'd actually lose control?  
"Hi," I breathed, not missing his subtle confusion at my sudden removal.  
"Hey," he replied, letting me go until we were just holding hands.  
"What do you wanna do today?" I questioned as we headed back to the more populated part of the property.  
"Well, I haven't seen the sights yet," he noted and I laughed dryly.  
"The sights? Let's see... we have the world's largest cow... the aquarium... and a beach. That's pretty much it," I told him.  
"Is it really the world's largest cow?" he asked dubiously and I could only laugh again.  
"It might be the town's biggest cow," I replied and he chuckled.  
"What about the beach?" he inquired and I tilted my head to the side.  
"It's not half bad. The water is nice but the sand isn't really the soft kind," I explained but he just shrugged.  
"Sounds good enough. Plus, long walks on the beach are one of the must-do date activities," he pointed out.  
"Well, I guess we should tick that one off the bucket list," I agreed. I pulled him to a stop as he started in Midnight's direction. "Um, maybe we should take my car," I suggested, "There isn't really a place to park a horse at the beach..."  
He frowned but agreed, and we changed direction towards the parking lot. My car wasn't much. It was a white jeep from the early 90's but my dad had got it for my 16th birthday and it ran fine. I laughed when Sam headed towards the drivers side.  
"Not a chance," I denied, pushing him aside and opening the door.  
"Do you just leave it unlocked?" he asked dubiously.  
"Sure," I replied, digging through the console, "And my keys are right... here." I pulled them out and started the car as he got in.  
"It's a good thing you don't live in the city," he mumbled and I shrugged.  
"I live on the edge," I muttered dryly, starting to drive, and he chuckled.  
"Hey, I was thinking about this town," he started, continuing when I prodded. "I saw high school couples together on my way here... I mean, I know you never... you know...," he continued awkwardly and I only got more confused.  
"What are you trying to say?" I asked, trying to get him to just spit it out.  
"Did you have a high school boyfriend?" he questioned and my hands flexed on the steering wheel.  
"No," I muttered quickly.  
"No?" he asked, obvious surprise in his voice.  
"What do you want me to say? I was never asked out," I replied defensively. We were veering dangerously close to last night's horrendous conversation about my lack of experience.  
"You don't have to worry about me being jealous or anything. I'm honestly curious," he continued and I looked over at his completely sincere expression.  
"I know. But I really was never asked out," I mumbled self-consciously.  
"You're telling me you, the embodiment of beauty, never got asked out?" he questioned dubiously.  
"Go take a poll if you don't believe me," I exclaimed impatiently. I snapped when he didn't say anything. "I'm sorry, it's just a little embarrassing. I was literally the only girl not asked to prom," I admitted with remembered bitterness. He was still silent. "Say something," I begged after an entire minute of silence.  
"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to think of the reason that would ever happen," he replied simply and I let out a hard laugh.  
"I guess I'm not the embodiment of pure beauty, after all," I laughed without humor, keeping my eyes trained on the road.  
"No, it had to be intimidation," he shook his head, completely dismissing my explanation.  
"How am I intimidating?" I questioned skeptically.  
"It's hard to be casual around someone as beautiful as you," he stated and I half smiled at his sweetness.  
"You didn't seem to have a problem," I pointed out the flaw in his theory.  
"I..." he trailed off.  
"...wasn't intimidated," I finished for him.  
"No. It was just kind of forced on me. I didn't have to gather up any courage to go talk to you because you surprised me." he explained. "Then I had to play it cool so you wouldn't tell me to get lost," he defended and it was my turn to laugh, remembering last night. Him leaving was the last thing I’d wanted.  
"Whatever. We're here," I told him as I pulled into the beach parking lot. "I suggest leaving your shoes in the car," I added, turning the ignition off and opening the console to store my keys. Sam grabbed my hand and put them in his pocket instead.  
"I'll just hold onto these until we get back," he said before getting out. I rolled my eyes at his precautions but walked around to join him.  
The beach was a pretty nice place to spend the day. The salty breeze tempered the hot sun as Sam and I walked, hand in hand, down the shoreline. We told stories and joked around. We talked about the little things we liked and the little things we didn't like. I was falling more and more in love with him with every word he said.  
"One day, I want to visit the Pyramids. They just seem so much cooler than the other landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty. Egypt in general is really cool to me. I could watch 'Tomb Raider' a hundred times in a row," I babbled and Sam looked at me with a fond smile. "What?" I asked warily.  
"You're cute when you talk about stuff like that," he stated and I blushed.  
"What? Pyramids?" I questioned but he shook his head.  
"Not exactly. Just stuff you really like. Whenever you're passionate about something you start talking a mile a minute and make all these hand motions. It's cute how animated you get," he explained and I blushed deeper, pausing when I looked up to see lights.  
"Oh my God! Is that a carnival?" I gasped, squinting until I could clearly make out a ferris wheel.  
"I think so," Sam confirmed, unimpressed.  
"We have to go," I exclaimed excitedly and Sam looked out into the distance.  
"Bess, we're ten miles away from the car. The fair is another mile away. Don't you think we should start heading back?" he suggested and I frowned.  
"Okay, how about this? We walk back to the car and drive to the fairgrounds," I suggested hopefully, smiling when his internal debate seemed to turn in my favor.  
"Alright, but it's going to be midnight before I get you home," he grumbled and I laughed, pressing up on my toes to give him a kiss that almost turned into more before pulling back again and starting to walk in the other direction.  
I'd been doing that sporadically all day. I'd noticed each time he would try to follow my lips farther. My theory seemed to be working so far, and we still had the rest of the night to go. The walk back to shore seemed to take longer than the walk there.  
We talked about deeper things. The things that made us who we were. I talked about my mom and he talked more in-depth about what happened with his partner. By the time it was said and done, I effectively despised the guy named 'Chris'.  
"Can I drive this time?" he requested once we got back to the car.  
"Hmm... okay. But the price is one kiss," I replied, getting an idea as he leaned down to my height. As soon as our lips connected, I picked the keys out of his pocket and skipped to the drivers side door. I giggled at his stunned expression.  
"Not fair," he complained half-heartedly as he climbed into the passenger side.  
"Nobody drives my car but me," I lilted, putting it into drive and merging back onto the road.  
"If you'd just said no, I would've given you your keys back," he pointed out and I laughed.  
"But then I wouldn't have gotten a kiss," I protested, smiling hugely.  
"You're something else," he commented, shaking his head.  
It only took a few minutes in the car to reach the fairgrounds and I hopped out excitedly. I loved all the colors and smells of the fair. Sam seemed amused by my excitement and I guessed this was one of those times he thought I was cute.  
"Oh, hold on a sec," I paused, opening the door again to reach in and get some money from where my purse was stashed in my glove compartment.  
"Wow, really?" he asked when I walked back to his side.  
"What?" I questioned his astounded expression.  
"You just leave your purse in an unlocked car that has keys in it?" he responded and I rolled my eyes.  
"I've got the keys with me this time," I countered, holding them up for him to see.  
"I'm surprised you haven't already been jacked," he sighed, slipping his hand into mine and pulling us towards the toll booth. He pulled money out of his wallet and, before I could protest, bought both of our tickets.  
"Why do you think I got money out of the car?" I asked after the paper bands had been secured around our wrists.  
"Look, I just would've felt like a dick if I’d stood there and let you pay for your own. Call it chivalry," he defended and I made a plan. I used the magic trick I'd learned in elementary school to hide the money in one hand as I stepped in front of him.  
"Well, thank you for being chivalrous, then," I replied, leaning forward to kiss him and, under the guise of locking my hands around his waist, slipped and twenty into his back pocket. When we parted he was none the wiser that I'd paid him back.  
"Not a problem," he winked.


	21. Kisses and Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess and Sam go to the carnival.

Bess was entertaining to watch at a fair. Her eyes were wide with excitement the entire time and her exuberance was off the charts. That little bit of life that had been there when we first met had expanded until it emanated from every pore.  
She insisted we go on every ride together and I had no qualms when the laws of physics seemed to press her as closely as possible, especially since she didn't seem as greedy as she had been yesterday.  
I wasn't sure what it was, but all kisses had been almost middle-school level. I didn't know if she'd taken my message to heart or if she'd thought about what happened and decided it wasn't ever going to happen again and, honestly, the not knowing was driving me crazy. Well, that and the fact that I hadn't gotten an actual kiss in the entire day we’d spent together.  
It seemed that, every time she pulled away, my attraction seemed to double in force. The longer our lips were connected the stronger my desire was for her, almost like a magnetic pull. But she seemed to be perfectly fine with it.  
"Ferris Wheel's the last one," she chirped and it was obvious this was her favorite. It was pretty impressive, too. It wasn't one of the tiny ones. It probably went up 200 feet. Maybe 250. Not bad for a tiny town.  
"Alright... pull the bar down," the employee working the ferris wheel instructed. I wanted to smack the look off his face as he eyed up Bess. Before I could, though, the wheel was turning.  
"This is my favorite thing about carnivals on the pier," Bess started, sounding calmer than she had all night. I looked over to read her expression but she was looking out at the water. "From the very top you can see miles and miles of pure ocean," she mused with a small smile.  
I looked out at the view. It really was beautiful, what with the last bit of sunlight finally disappearing, but my eyes kept being drawn back to her. Before I could think about what I was doing, I put my finger under her chin to tilt her head to face me. Her eyes widened.  
"What..." she wondered aloud, eyes wide and lips parted slightly at my awed expression.  
"I love you," I stated and, before I could regret it too deeply, she smiled.  
"I love you," she replied and I could suddenly see her eyes turn conflicted. "Screw it," she mumbled before coming to the decision to reach out and pull me down.  
For the first time today, she didn't pull away after a second or two. Instead, she wrapped her arms around the back of my neck and pulled me closer. I sighed in relief at the fact that this wasn't gone.  
I didn't realize until then just how much I'd missed the taste of her lips, the feeling of electricity. I hadn't realized how close I needed to be until I had one hand on the small of her back and the other in her hair. It was getting harder to remember why I'd left her room last night.  
We parted when the chair started moving again, both breathing heavier than usual, and I pulled her against my side.  
"What'd you mean when you said 'screw it'?" I asked. I hadn't had too much time to wonder about that before I'd been distracted, but it came to the surface now.  
"Oh, well... I'd kinda been trying to limit how long our kisses were today," she admitted and I looked down at her.  
"Why?" I questioned, noticing that a blush had tinted her cheeks.  
"I thought your, um, desire would build up and you'd want me more," she explained, seeming to cringe at her words. "It kinda worked," she noted and I laughed. I probably should've been upset that I'd been manipulated, but it was hard to get mad at her for wanting me to be more physical.  
"I guess it did kind of work," I allowed as the overly eager employee let us off the ride. I tried to subtly usher Bess away more swiftly, hands clenched into fists when I noticed how the guy was checking out her ass.  
"You wouldn't have kissed me like that yesterday," she commented as we made our way towards the exit.  
"How do you know?" I countered evenly though she wasn't entirely wrong.  
"Because you barely kissed me that way in private," she finished, taking my hand. I didn't really have a response to that. "Exactly," she finished when she was met with silence.  
"The way I kissed you could also have to do with what was said before that," I pointed out and watched as she bit her lip, clearly remembering as we got to the jeep.  
"I guess it could've been because of that, too," she allowed as she started the car.


	22. Experimenting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess and Sam part ways after an eventful date.

"You're not staying tonight, are you?" I asked, already accepting defeat as I turned the car off.  
"No. It probably wouldn't be a good idea, especially with your little experiment," he responded and I laughed half-heartedly. I felt like I was pretty lucky he hadn't been pissed at my manipulation.  
"So that means it really did work," I replied smugly, looking up at him and he just rolled his eyes at me.  
"Let's just say I hope you don't try it again," he deadpanned and I laughed.  
"Fine, no more experiments," I agreed but thought it over again. "Rarely any more experiments," I amended and his relieved expression fell, causing me to smile.  
"Can you at least tell me the results when it's over?" he responded, sounding defeated.  
"I'll agree to that," I answered confidently.  
"Speaking of which, how long did you plan for today's experiment to continue?" he questioned and I blushed.  
"I, uh, hadn't really had a specific time frame. I figured if I broke before you did, the experiment was a failure," I explained with a shrug. "But then, on the ferris wheel, after we said what we said, I decided that I couldn't let that moment pass without a kiss like that," I finished.  
"So does that mean I won? Since you gave in first?" he asked smugly. I narrowed my eyes at his cockiness.  
"If anything, I'd call it a draw. Yes, I kissed you. However, you kissed me back like no tomorrow so I kinda won in that aspect," I stipulated clinically but he kept that smug look.  
"I won," he quipped and I sighed, opening the door and stepping out into the night. Despite what he'd said about getting me home late, it was only 11 o'clock.  
I'd only taken a few steps towards the inn before Sam was next to me, pulling me to a stop.  
"Come on, stop. It worked, I swear. You had me convinced I'd never get a real kiss again. So yeah, when we were on the ferris wheel, I took as much as I could. Your experiment worked," he soothed and I, reluctantly, turned to face him.  
"And that's why you're leaving?" I sighed but he just shrugged.  
"That and I really don't want to waste money on a hotel room I'm not using," he joked and I half smiled at his attempt to cheer me up.  
"Okay, but I wanna see Midnight before you go," I responded and he smiled and took my hand, walking us back to the stables. I increased my pace when I saw the swish of a black tail.  
"I really love this horse," I sighed, running my hands through Midnight's mane and down his side. He shined in the moonlight.  
"Me, too," Sam agreed, standing beside me and mirroring my movements.  
"I'm really gonna miss you tonight," I muttered, looking up to see that he was already looking at me. "It kinda sucked when I had to sleep alone last night," I continued.  
"I would agree, but you know it's hard for me to relax in that situation," he joked, pulling me into a hug.  
"I don't know why. It's not like I was half-naked and curled up around you," I countered sarcastically and he chuckled, running his hands through my hair lightly until I was compelled to look up.  
He was looking down at me with such love and adoration that it was natural for me to push up until our lips met. I kissed him like I had all day, just a couple seconds. I wasn't experimenting, I'd just gotten used to those kisses. I was delightfully surprised at what happened next.  
When I'd moved to pull away, his lips followed mine all the way, unwilling to part. As soon as I realized what was happening, my arms wound around his neck to press myself closer. Our lips were in the same heated battle that they had been last night and my stomach flipped in the same way.  
When his hand pressed into my lower back I regretted wearing a dress. If I'd worn a shirt and jeans, like usual, his hand would've been able to slip under my top easily. So, skirts and shirts from now on. Well, on the days I saw Sam, at least.  
I was starting to wonder if air was worth breaking the kiss when he suddenly made the choice for me, leaning back just enough to part our lips while we were still only inches apart.  
"I love you," he breathed and a smile curled my lips at hearing it for the second time.  
"I love you, too," I responded truthfully, finally releasing my hold around his neck so I dropped down off my toes.  
"I'll see you tomorrow," he promised and I took a step back so he could mount Midnight, looking up at him when he was settled.  
"Tomorrow," I repeated before he rode away.  
I waited until I couldn't even see a dot of him before I moved, starting the trek up to the inn and thinking over the day. I'd been doubtful about the efficacy of my experiment until just a few minutes ago. It made me want to do it all the time, but I'd made a promise.  
I made my way to my room in a slight daze, the same one that usually accompanied one of our make out sessions. I felt dirty from the beach and the fair, so I stripped in the bathroom and took a relaxing shower.  
The events of the past two days seemed to be trying to make up for all the happiness I'd missed out on in the last few years. I wasn't sure how long it could last, but I really hoped the answer was forever.   
I was smiling as I walked to my room in my towel and was still smiling when my head hit the pillow.


	23. Slumber Parties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam gets a look into Bess's life when they run into an old friend. But he's not jealous. Of course not. Right.

I looked at my watch after I dismounted Midnight and tied his reigns. It was 8:30. I doubted Bess was even up yet, but I'd wanted to be here to greet her as soon as she was. I could practically feel the money she'd slipped me last night.  
It was pretty clever on her part, but the awe was overshadowed by annoyance. I'd thought the money issue was a clean cut deal, but apparently not. Apparently, she'd been full of little tricks yesterday. I started pacing in impatience and irritation, glancing at my watch every few minutes.  
"Who are you?" someone asked and I turned to see an older man. He was wearing worn clothes and his dark hair had started to grey around his temples. He seemed suspicious but otherwise nonthreatening.  
"Oh, my name is Sam," I greeted, sticking out my hand for a shake, but he just stared until I had to drop it awkwardly. Weird.  
"What're you doing back here? The guests stay at the house," he continued, frowning and crossing his arms.  
"I'm just here for Bess. She's expecting me but she's not ready yet so I just decided to wait with my horse until she was," I explained.  
"I don't believe that. Bess has never had any guy come over," he spat and I started getting irritated.  
"Well, there's a first time for everything, right?" I replied, attempting to lighten the mood.  
"Does her father know you're here for her?" he continued, rude tone not letting up.  
"I think so. He knows she'll be with me today," I said, still trying to act pleasant.  
"I don't buy it," he responded, narrowing his eyes. I clenched my jaw.  
"That's not my problem, man. Now, with all due respect, I'd like to be left alone," I snapped stiffly.  
"Huh," he grunted. "Go ahead and wait, boy," he relented, starting to walk back the way he came. "I'm sure she'll tire of you soon enough, anyways," he called over his shoulder and I balled my hands into fists. No need to punch an old man.  
It was about an hour later that I heard someone else.  
"Sam?" Bess called and I turned to see her making her way over. It was hard to stay mad about the money thing when I was looking at her. She had on tiny jean shorts and a loose blue top that reminded me of her tiny nightgown. Focus, Sam.  
"Hey," I said when she went in for a hug, but I held her back. She looked up at me with confusion at my disapproving frown.  
"What's wrong?" she asked, looking like a kicked puppy. Instead of answering, I retrieved the twenty from my pocket and held it out. "Oh," she murmured, expression turning guilty and cheeks flushing.  
"Yeah," I responded. "Did you think I wouldn't notice?" I questioned, trying to stay mad but it was hard when she looked at me like that.  
"I hoped you wouldn't..." she trailed off, biting her lip distractingly. Damn. "I just thought that I should pay for myself. Equality is a thing, you know," she defended, putting her hands on her hips.  
"It's not about equality. I just wanted to pay for you as a gesture of kindness," I countered and she frowned.  
"I just feel guilty taking your money, especially since it was my idea to go to the fair," she explained, looking at me with those big eyes and I sighed.  
"Just don't do it again," I sighed, finally pulling her into a hug and slipping the money into her back pocket. She laughed and pulled back to look up at me.  
"You're a lot less stealthy than I am," she stated and I grinned.  
"Maybe I just wanted to feel your ass," I countered cockily, enjoying the look of shock that crossed her features before we both laughed.  
"If you wanted to feel my ass, you should've stayed over last night," she lilted, not giving me a chance to respond before continuing. "So, what's on the agenda for today?" she questioned as we walked, hand in hand, to her car.  
"Whatever you want. I chose yesterday," I reminded her, staying silent while she seemed to mull over the possibilities.  
"I got it! Do you remember that first night, that street we walked down?" she questioned excitedly.  
"Yeah, where you passed out," I chuckled and she faux scowled before continuing.  
"Well, I wanna take you during the day. It's full of bustling people and all the cute little storefronts. Plus, it's where my favorite restaurant is," she continued.  
"Sounds fun. I didn't even realize that we'd skipped lunch and dinner until I got back to the motel," I said, remembering how I'd practically inhaled breakfast.  
"Me, too. I cleaned out the fridge. My dad wasn't too happy this morning," she replied, shrugging it off.  
"I'm guessing I'm not allowed to drive?" I assumed and she nodded, opening the drivers side door while I ended up in the passenger seat again.  
"You wouldn't even know where to go if you drove," she pointed out after turning the key in the ignition.  
"That's why you would be my navigator," I responded but she was already shaking her head.  
"Nope. I'm a terrible navigator," she seemed certain and I laughed.  
"Well then I have the GPS app on my phone," I shrugged, looking at her when she gave an audible gasp. "What?" I asked, slightly worried at her look of shock.  
"I don't have your number," she stated and I thought back. That couldn't be right. Surely I must've given it to her at some point.  
"Well, we can do it now," I offered, plucking her phone off the console and swiping to unlock it. I was about to go to the contacts when the background picture caught my eye. It was Bess with her arms around some guy.  
I felt a flash of jealousy shoot through me at the way he looked at her while she was so close to him. It was beyond obvious that he liked her which, though irrational, caused me to get a little irritated. Pushing my feelings to the side, I put my contact info into her phone and shot a text to mine.  
"What are your friends like?" I asked, trying to get a conversation going.  
"I haven't seen them in awhile, but they were fun to be around. But it also got kinda exhausting," she admitted, biting her lip.  
"What do you mean?" I questioned.  
"I mean, they were different than me. They were full of life and were super energetic. I was the only one that brought everyone back down. I was the one that took away their keys when they'd been drinking," she explained, not seeming to have liked that role. "I slept for a whole day after we all slept over at Toby's house," she finished and I couldn't help the jealousy that flared.  
"Don't girls only have sleepovers with other girls?" I questioned, trying to picture how a guy would fit into sexy pillow fights.  
"No," she answered sharply, interrupting my daydream where I was the guy in the middle of a chick pillow fight. "And it wasn't like it was just the two of us. Jason and Mariana were there, too," she continued.  
"So you slept at some dude's house all night?" I asked, trying and failing to sound aloof.  
"What? Are you jealous?" she countered with a smile. I looked out the window.  
"I wouldn't go as far as to say that," I lied, seeing the cobblestones coming up.  
"I would. But I've decided to accept it as a compliment," she responded, pulling into a parking spot and turning off the car.  
"And yet you still try to break my resolve," I replied, following her as she got out.  
"Sorry I want to make out with the guy I love," she said sarcastically.  
"I guess there are worse things in life," I sighed, throwing my arm around her shoulders as we walked down the same street we'd walked just a couple days ago.  
She was right. The entire scene seemed different now that there were people walking around, eating lunch or window shopping. I could see what Bess saw in it. It was pretty cool. The only downside was that people would stare as we passed them.  
I wasn't sure if it was the fact that I was new or that I was with Bess, but their stares made me uncomfortable. I guessed that no criminal out there would appreciate being put in the spotlight, but Bess seemed perfectly content. Until she suddenly ran out from under my arm, squealing.  
I tried to follow to see where she was going and, by the time I caught up, she was already hugging the same guy from the picture. I stood in slight shock as I watched her pull away and completely forget my existence.  
"Bess?" I asked as I came up next to her. The guy just gave me a curious look before glancing back at Bess.  
"Sam! This is Toby!" she introduced. I made myself reach out to shake the guys hand.  
"Hey. I'm Sam," I said and he repeated what Bess had said, obviously feeling as awkward as I felt.  
"Yeah, this is my boyfriend," Bess explained, taking my hand. I could see the obvious disappointment as he looked me over in a new light. Yeah, he definitely liked her.  
"After all this time, you finally got a boyfriend?" he joked and Bess laughed, seeming completely oblivious to this guy’s feelings.  
"It had to happen eventually," she joked back, looking up at me.  
"Wow, it's been way too long since we caught up," Toby exclaimed, changing the subject.  
"Right?! What's it been, like, a year?" she replied and he nodded.  
"That sounds about right," he said with a shrug.  
"So how's life for you?" she responded and, even though I was slightly jealous, her excitement was still cute.  
"Well, I'm working at the bank," he answered, and Bess giggled at his expression.  
"So your dad finally convinced you to give in to corporate life?" she guessed and I assumed there was some backstory I'd missed.  
"Yep, but I was able to buy my own car and rent my own place so score one for good pay," he muttered sarcastically and they both laughed. I was starting to feel like a third wheel on my own date.  
"Well, that's something at least," she offered sympathetically and he just shrugged.  
"What about you? Still at the inn?" he asked, seeming to already know the answer.  
"Yeah. You probably know the party was a few days ago," she responded and he half laughed.  
"Yep. My parents made me come home to babysit Kylie," he sighed and Bess giggled.  
"Isn't she, like, sixteen now?" she questioned and he nodded.  
"Yeah. They called me to make sure she didn't throw a party," he explained and they both laughed. I was definitely a third wheel. I subtly cleared my throat and Bess seemed to remember my presence.  
"Oh, yeah. Listen, it was great seeing you again but we should probably get going," she hedged and Toby looked at both of us, still hand in hand.  
"Do you want some company?" he suggested and I wanted to say a huge no, but this was Bess's 'friend'.  
Instead of saying anything, Bess dropped my hand and leaned forward until her lips were next to his ear. The bustle of people kept me from hearing what was said but I had a feeling it was good for me because Toby's face fell. He put on a casual expression when she leaned back.  
"Okay, I'll see you around then," he shrugged. "It was nice to meet you, Sam," he mumbled before taking off and I noticed he was a shitty liar.  
"What'd you say to him?" I questioned once we started walking again.  
"Sorry. That's between him and me," she shrugged with a too-innocent smile.  
"So, was that the Toby that was at your slumber party?" I asked, working to be nonchalant.  
"Yep, the very one," she answered. "Except you forgot the part where I said we weren't alone," she reminded me and I sighed.  
"Can I ask how many guy friends you had?" I replied, starting to wonder.  
"Um, I guess most of them were guys. I just had a couple of girl friends," she responded and I let out a short laugh of realization.  
"What? What's so funny?" she inquired, looking up at me.  
"That explains why you were never asked out," I replied, putting the pieces together at last.  
"What's that supposed to mean? I only attract guys platonically?" she demanded, offended. I hurried to explain.  
"No. The guys were too scared of rejection but they still wanted to be around you. That's why you had so many guy friends," I explained.  
"Wait. You think they actually liked me?" she asked, seeming confounded by the mere idea.  
"Well, Toby definitely does," I answered but she shook her head.  
"No. Toby definitely doesn't like me like that. He said I wasn't his type," she defended, making me laugh. She really was clueless.  
"Bess, you are everyone's type. Did I not mention you're the only reason I came to this tiny place?" I reminded her, taking her hand again and pulling her under an awning that provided shade. "I'm a guy, so trust me when I say I can tell when a guy likes you," I finished and she pursed her lips.  
"Does that mean I shouldn't call him to catch up?" she asked. A very basic part of me hated her talking to any guy, but I decided to ignore it.  
"You can do whatever you want, I'm just telling you what I know," I answered plainly.  
"Huh," she said, getting a thoughtful look on her face.  
"What is it?" I asked after a moment.  
"I'm kinda hungry. Do you wanna check out Dudley's? They have the best chicken and waffles. That would actually work pretty well because I didn't eat breakfast and waffles are breakfast food," she started babbling, pulling me off in a different direction.  
"Why didn't you eat breakfast?" I questioned, looking her over. It didn't seem safe for someone so small to miss any meals.  
"I saw you outside when I came downstairs and decided I was too excited to eat," she shrugged and I chuckled.  
"I know exactly how you feel," I replied as we moved to cross the street.


	24. First Kiss Do-Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the date goes smoothly. Will it end in another sleepover?

The day had rivaled even yesterday in how great it was, despite it's rocky start with all the money and Toby. But as soon as we got to Dudley's we were back to us. We joked around and kissed every now and then. We walked through different shops along main street and I groaned when he joked about going into the store my dad got my dress from.  
I was exhausted by the time we finished dinner.  
"This looks a little more like it was that first night," he commented, noting the moonlit sky and the sparse population.  
"Yeah. It brings back some good memories. Our first kiss was right over there," I replied, pointing to the spot a few feet away.  
"And you passed out right about there," he replied, pointing to the same spot. I was able to laugh now, despite the fact that I'd been mortified at the time. I shivered at a slight breeze and pressed closer to his side.  
"I think we should redo that first kiss," I suggested, pulling him the last few steps to get into place and looking up at his amused expression. It never ceased to amaze me how he was so freaking attractive.  
"I guess we can," he sighed with faux reluctance. I looked around quickly to make sure we were alone enough before gazing back up at him.  
I was taken back to that moment. He was looking at me like he wanted to kiss me and I'd just gone all in. This time, though, he was the one to lean down, and I just pressed up until our lips connected.  
It was just as amazing as it was that first night. The moonlight and solidarity made it more romantic than any of our other kisses and I wrapped my arms around his neck to press closer. I sighed in content when his hand pressed against the small of my back while the other moved through my hair.  
"That was a pretty good redo," he said when we parted for air.  
"Yeah. Definitely more fun than passing out," I confirmed and he laughed, taking my hand to pull me towards the parking lot. I was so tired I didn't even protest when he moved to drive.  
"Just be careful with her," I ordered, slipping into the passenger seat and resting my head against the worn headrest.  
"Tired much?" he teased as the car pulled onto the road and I just smiled.  
"Yeah, but it's a good tired. The kind of tiredness that comes from hanging out with the guy you love all day," I replied, letting my eyes shut.  
When I opened them again I was home and being carried by a pair of strong arms. I didn't bother protesting, just snuggling closer as he walked me up the stairs. I idly wondered what time it was if he could walk casually through the inn without fear of Dad seeing him.  
"Hey," I mumbled as I looked up at him.  
"Hey," he responded as we entered my room. He laid me down on the bed but I quickly got up when he moved to leave.  
"Please stay," I begged and he turned back to look at me.  
"Bess, I should go back to my place," he replied reluctantly and I frowned, thinking.  
"I... need to talk to you about something," I said, thinking about what I'd been turning over in my head whenever I'd been alone today.  
"What is it?" he questioned, coming back to stand in front of me. I pulled him to sit down and looked at my hands. I wasn't sure how to start.  
"I wanna talk about your... income," I started quietly, not looking up to see his response.  
"Oh. What about it?" he asked in a more subdued tone, placing a hand on mine.  
"How... how is it gonna work?" I questioned before looking up at him. "How is this gonna work?" I continued, gesturing between the two of us.  
"I don't know," he admitted, seeming frustrated.  
"Are you just gonna leave and go rob a place and then come back? Are you gonna live on the edge forever?" I continued, forcing myself to keep eye contact.  
"I don't know. I don't want to. I want to stay here with you, like I have the last few days. I love you," he responded and I half-smiled.  
"That's not a very solid answer," I noted and he sighed.  
"Do we have to come up with one now, though? We can keep going on like this until it becomes an actual issue, okay?" he suggested and it was my turn to sigh. This wasn't the type of conversation that should be avoided but I couldn't deny that I wanted to.  
"Yeah. It's late. We should probably get to bed," I replied, threading my fingers through his when he tried to move his hand away. "Please?"  
"Bess..." he started to protest.  
"I'll be good. I promise. I won't even cuddle if you don't want me to," I pled. I really didn't feel like being alone. He looked at me for a painfully long moment before nodding.  
"Okay," he acquiesced and I gave him a tiny kiss before hopping up to move to my drawers. I wasn't about to sleep in jean shorts and a blouse.  
I pulled out the first pajamas I touched, which just happened to be a baby pink slip. I bit down on my lip, considering whether or not to forget it and grab sweatpants. After all, I’d promised to be good. But, in the end, I decided to let fate take control. I'd pulled out the pink slip, so I'd wear the pink slip.  
"Turn around if you don't want to see me naked," I called over my shoulder before shedding my clothes and changing into my pajamas. I thought I heard an expletive, but I wrote it off as wishful thinking. "Okay, it's safe now," I informed him and he frowned.  
"Bess, you said you'd be good," he warned, still looking me up and down.  
"Sam, it's a Georgia summer. All my pajamas look like this," I lied, moving to climb into bed. He sighed but lifted his shirt and pulled it off in one smooth motion before moving to lay next to me. I made sure no part of my body touched his.  
"Why do you want me to stay here?" he asked suddenly and I turned my head to see that he was staring up at the ceiling. I took a moment to think before responding.  
"It just feels so much better to go to sleep next to you. After you left the other night, sleeping alone felt terrible. I felt like loneliness would swallow me," I explained as best I could. He finally met my eyes. "What? Do you not want to stay?" I questioned.  
"You know I do," he answered, rolling his eyes.  
He didn't say anything else before his arm snaked across the space between us, wrapping around my waist to pull me closer. I didn't waste any time before fitting myself against his side, snuggling my head into his shoulder.  
"Who knew silk felt so much better than cotton?" he muttered and I giggled at how his fingers ran along the smooth fabric.  
"You're the one that decided to touch," I mumbled into his chest and felt the vibrations against my cheek when he chuckled.  
"No regrets," was the last thing I heard before sleep overcame me.


	25. The Last Straw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam is ready to leave again. Will Bess continue to accept his claim that he's 'trying to protect her'?

"What're you doing?" I grumbled sleepily as I awoke to him pulling his shirt on. He turned around when he realized I'd woken up.  
"Hey, just go back to sleep. I can't go to sleep with you so close," he half-smiled and I groaned. I was too tired for this shit.  
"You've done it before," I reminded him grumpily.  
"And do you remember what happened that time?" he countered and I blushed. Yes. I definitely remembered that.  
"Would that really be so bad?" I hedged, sitting up.  
"Probably," he responded, glancing down at my chest quickly before looking away.  
"Am I ever going to be allowed to decide whether or not I think it's bad?" I questioned sadly.  
"Well, yeah, but we've only known each other a few days and you've been holding out for twenty years," he defended but I just rolled my eyes. Yeah, twenty years of built-up sexual tension I'd never had an outlet for.  
"Sam, it's simple. Do you want to sleep with me?" I asked point blank. He averted his gaze.  
"It's more complicated than that," he protested.  
"Do you?" I continued, suddenly scared of what his answer might be.  
"Yes," he admitted quietly, like it was a great shame.  
"Well I do, too," I told him. "So why aren't we?" I asked, moving to walk towards him and tilting his face down until he was looking at me. "Why aren't we?" I repeated gently. He looked down at me uncertainly before giving in.  
He leaned down to capture my lips with his in a slow but passionate kiss. I stood on my tiptoes and softly ran my fingers through his hair while he pulled me closer, fisting the material of my tiny pink dress in his hand as the kiss filled with desire.  
I wanted every part of him. I needed every part of him. I couldn't imagine any reason why we should ever stop doing this. He spun me around until I was trapped between him and the door as his kisses started moving lower, across my jaw and to my ear.  
I sighed when his kisses made their way to my neck. However, our height difference made it a little hard for him to go that far. He seemed to notice it too because I was suddenly being lifted off my feet before I wrapped my legs around his waist.  
In the new position, he had unlimited access to my throat and I moaned when he bit down lightly at the juncture of my neck and shoulder. I could hardly believe he was actually doing this. I'd finally convinced him.  
But then I noticed he seemed to have stopped his trail and was, instead, just breathing heavily with his head hung. I moved my hands from his shoulders to let me examine his expression. I closed my eyes against the disappointment that consumed me.  
His face was full of regret and I knew it was because he was stopping. He was about to leave me to sleep alone for the rest of the night because he thought he had to protect me. I dropped my legs back to the floor and looked up at him.  
"I'm sorry," he whispered breathlessly. "I shouldn't have done that," he muttered and I just moved out from between him and the door.  
"You're right. You shouldn't have stopped. I want you. Right now," I told him, crossing my arms across my chest.  
"Bess... we can't do anything here. It'd be way too loud," he joked with a half-smile. Even though I was upset, I couldn't help but smile slightly at his implications.  
"So you're leaving?" I assumed and he nodded. He took a step towards me, leaning down to touch our lips once before backing away and out the door.  
I took a deep breath to try and get control of my emotions. I felt like a fish in a pond that kept getting caught by fishermen's hooks. I'd get reeled in only to be thrown back and then repeat the same process over again.  
I had to end this.


	26. What's Will Power?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess finally manages to break Sam's willpower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the tags warned that there would be sexual content. This chapter contains sex! If you don't want to read sexual content, you can skip this chapter and still understand the story line.

I was still trying to control my breathing when I approached Midnight's stables. I kept losing control but, even worse, I kept hurting her. I'd get to the point where she thought I'd given in only to have me take it all away. I couldn't believe I was actually being a tease.  
"Sam?" Bess said, suddenly right behind me. I spun around to see her small figure staring at me with those big doe eyes.  
She was wrapped in a thick blanket that had a bulge in the middle, almost making it look like she was pregnant.  
"What are you doing?" I questioned her, shocked that she’d followed me.  
"Can you come in here for a second? We need to talk," she pointed to the little building. I wasn't sure what she was doing but I nodded and followed her as she walked through the door.  
There wasn't much inside. Generic tools were hanging on one wall and a wooden bench sat against another wall. Streaks of moonlight shone through here and there, keeping the room lit.  
I was so busy looking around, I didn't even notice what Bess was doing. I turned to look at her and she had already spread the thick blanket down on the floor, situating a pillow at the top. I saw that she was wearing just that little pink nightgown and was fiercely glad she'd wrapped herself in the blanket when she left her room.  
She walked over to me where I stood, confused, and wrapped her arms around my waist, looking up at me as I looked down at her.  
"What are you doing?" I asked, letting my hands rest lightly on her hips.  
"Nobody will hear us out here," she murmured in a low voice, standing on her toes to press her lips to my neck.  
I couldn't believe it. She actually followed me out here to seduce me. There wasn’t a better woman in the world than the one that was standing in front of me now.  
"Are you sure?" I questioned once more, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. It was too hard to hold back for her own good. She seemed determined and this last act of seduction crushed whatever willpower I’d managed to hold on to.  
"I don't know how else to make you see how absolutely sure I am," she assured me and I gave in completely. If she was positive, which she'd made clear multiple times, I had no reason to argue.   
I leaned down slowly to close the distance between our lips and she pushed up on her toes to meet me halfway. I'd never get used to the feeling of electricity that pulsed through me with her kiss. It consumed my entire being.  
She wrapped her arms around my neck and used the leverage to deepen the kiss. I was pleasantly surprised when I felt her tongue trace across my bottom lip. I put one hand on the small of her back to pull her body closer and let the other tangle through her hair.  
Bess whimpered against my mouth and I moaned at the sound. I turned and pressed her against the wall of the shed before picking  
her up by her thighs until her face was level with mine. I felt her legs wrap around my waist and I ran my hands down under her dress to cup her ass.  
She pulled her head back, breathing heavily. "Um, babe, I like this position, but the wood is kinda digging into my back," she said apologetically, gesturing to the jagged splinters sticking dangerously out of the wall. The shed wasn’t exactly new.  
"Oh," I responded before tightening my grip on her ass and pulling her away. She weighed nothing in my hands as I walked us over to the blanket and laid her down with her head on the pillow. She looked up at me with an expression that was a mixture of excitement and nervousness.  
"Better?" I asked, and she nodded as I knee'd my way back until I was in between her thighs. I leaned over to kiss her. She made a small noise of protest that had me pulling back immediately. I didn't have time to wonder what I'd done before she was grabbing at my shirt, almost ripping the buttons in her haste to remove it.  
I laughed at her eagerness and grabbed the shirt by it's collar before pulling it up and over my head. She bit her lip as I was bare and I couldn't look away from the sight. She was so hot when she did that. I got an idea and remained sitting back on my heels until she finally voiced her question.  
"What are you doing?" she whined, frustrated. I had to force myself not to laugh at her tone of voice.  
"We've been over this. Tit for tat, remember?" I teased before tracing the hem of her dress with my fingers. It'd been great when she'd taken it off, but it felt better to be the one to remove it.  
I slipped my hands under the dress to slowly smooth over her thighs, continuing up over her flat stomach and rib cage. When my hands reached her chest I gathered the bunched-up fabric and pulled it over her head.  
She looked even better out here. In the moonlight that filtered through the window, I could properly see all of her. She was so small, but the gentle curves of her body made it clear she was a woman. I tried and failed to not stare. She was just so perfect.  
Her skin was white in the moonlight without a single imperfection. Her breasts were the size of oranges and they moved gloriously in response to her heavy breaths. My hands subconsciously started trailing at her hips and up to her waist, and I grinned at the goosebumps it caused.  
I leaned my head down and started placing kisses around her naval before letting my lips travel farther upwards. I was vividly aware of the feel of her hands threading through my hair as I continued the trail of kisses through the valley between her breasts.  
I kissed my way past her collarbone and up the column of her throat before stopping at her earlobe. I caught it between my teeth as my hands finally gave in and started palming her breasts. Her back arched up, striving for more.  
I kneaded lightly and trapped her nipples in between my fingers before leaning down to stimulate each one with my mouth. "S-Sa...," Bess sighed out, and I couldn't help the low moan that left me as I heard her stutter over my name.  
I traced my hands back down her body until my thumbs rested in the hollows inside her hip bones. I looked into her eyes as my fingers went lower and lower, watching for any sign that she wanted to stop. I found none.  
I leaned back to slide her lace underwear down her pale legs. As I returned to my former position between her thighs, I lightly traced my fingers up the inside of her legs. I heard her let out a shaky breath and saw a shiver run down her spine.  
I could feel the temperature getting warmer and warmer as my hands got closer and closer to her center. I tried to control myself. This was about her. Everything I'd done so far would be to further her pleasure. Granted, I liked it as much as she did, but it was first and foremost about her.  
I leaned up to connect our lips again as I lightly traced one finger over her slit, earning a whimper from her along with her hands wrapping around me and pulling me closer. I gently applied more pressure to swirl one finger along her wetness before moving up to play at her clit.  
Her gasp broke our kiss and her hips bucked up to meet my hand. I used my spare hand to secure her hips to the blanket as I continued to tease, tracing my finger from her clit down to almost dip inside her before going back up again.  
Her hips rocked back and forth under my hand, searching. Once she was wet enough, I finished a rotation by slowly sliding just one finger inside her. Holy shit she was even tighter than I'd thought. She stilled and I used my thumb to play at her clit as I went further inside, hoping to counteract any discomfort.  
When she started writhing and moaning again I slid another finger inside, trying to ignore how difficult it was, pumping them in and out slowly. Once she seemed comfortable with that, I added a third. She was almost constantly letting out moans and I leaned down to capture her lips with my own, hoping to muffle her a little. It was less likely for people to hear us out here, but there was no need to take chances.  
All of a sudden, she cried out and came around my fingers. I continued to stroke her as she rode out her release, chest heaving and breathing unsteady. I pressed kisses all over her face while she got control of herself, pulling my hand away.  
She was breathing hard, flushed from head to toe, but when she opened her eyes they were full of hunger and determination. Her hands shot down to my pants and started tugging on my belt. Holy shit.  
I helped her get it off and threw it somewhere to the side as she eagerly unzipped me. I couldn't help the groan that escaped me when she pulled me out of the confines of my jeans and boxers, and I quickly sat up to rid myself of my remaining clothes before throwing them on the steadily growing pile of fabric.  
I crawled back between her thighs and wasn't surprised to find that her nerves were back. She was breathing hard and her pupils were heavily dilated, but her eyes were wide with apprehension and her hands were timid as they rested on my shoulders.  
"Are you sure?" I asked again, looking deep into the black abyss of her eyes. I was beyond ready to go but I'd stop if she'd changed her mind. I would never do this if she wasn’t 100% positive it was what she wanted.  
"Yes," she replied, sounding more sure than she looked.  
Shit. This was going to be hard. I hated the thought of causing her any kind of pain, but it was inevitable. This was the first time in my life that I almost wished I was smaller. I mean, not only did I have to account for the fact that she was a virgin, I also had to keep in mind that she was tiny and I was... not.  
Slowly, I lined myself up at her entrance.


	27. Worth the Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of the last chapter. I just had to show this moment from Bess's POV as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, if you are offended by sexual content, do not read this chapter. You can skip to the next chapter and still be perfectly caught up with the story line.

I could feel a slight pressure as he situated himself at the juncture between my thighs. My breath caught in my throat. I had purposefully not looked at his size so as to not freak myself out. But now I could feel that he was big. Fuck.  
Calm down, Bess. You knew this wasn't going to be completely comfortable. Still, I couldn't get my thighs to relax around his waist.  
With one elbow being used to hold himself up, he used the other to rub up and down my sides, silently willing me to relax. God, I fucking loved him.  
His lips met with mine as he started pressing inside and I balled my hands into fists to keep my nails from raking down his back. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was an uncomfortable stretch, but it wasn't that bad. He pulled back to look me in the eyes as he stopped his movements. I was sure he couldn't be all the way in yet.  
"I love you, Bess," he pledged before making a quick thrust the rest of the way in. Fuck, that didn't feel good. His size probably didn't help the pinching discomfort that shot through me. Fucking shit!   
I couldn't help but let out a little distressed sound. I hadn't meant to make noise. I didn't want him to feel bad, but it came out anyways. I tried to breathe through the pain.  
"Bess, I'm sorry," he apologized huskily, a strain in his voice.  
I opened my eyes from where they'd snapped closed at the intrusion and saw that his were screwed shut and every muscle in his body was rigid. I tried to think on how this could be hurting him but couldn't come up with anything.  
"What's wrong?" I questioned, trying to distract myself from the pain that seemed to, thankfully, be fading.  
He opened his eyes to concentrate on me. "Nothing," he assured me. "You just feel," he stopped to cringe as I hesitantly moved my hips, getting used to the feeling of being so full, before he continued, "You feel amazing."  
I bit my lip at what I assumed was a compliment and arched my back slightly, causing more of him to slip in me. I was pleasantly surprised to find the pain had lessened substantially. Instead, the movement caused a budding pleasure.  
"Um," I sighed, trying to communicate with the pleasure I was giving myself as I moved my hips. I could only imagine the pleasure if he helped out. "Can you, ah... can you move?" I asked.  
"No, Bess," he sounded panicked and, for one wild second, I wondered if I actually knew how sex worked. There was supposed to be movement, right? "Bess, just wait a minute," he continued, breathing heavily.  
"No," I replied, finally understanding and forcing myself not to roll my eyes. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pushed my hips even closer. There was a dull pain but it was far outweighed by the pleasure the friction brought. "Sam, I need you to start moving now," I demanded, trying and failing to get even more friction.  
"Moving?" I heard him murmur to himself before continuing. "Does that mean... Are you ready?" he asked, sounding hopeful.  
"Yes, Sam! Please move- ah!" I was cut off when he pulled out and pushed back in, sending bolts of pleasure through me with each thrust. He groaned as he repeated the movement. I was getting frustrated because, while the movements created an amazing feeling, I needed more.  
"Sam," I gasped, "More. Faster. Please." I could only get out one word sentences but he seemed to understand because he picked up the pace, thrusting in and out even harder.  
The sound of our combined moans were filling the shack until Sam pressed his mouth to mine, muffling the noise. The pleasure was building inside me but I couldn't seem to completely get to that feeling from before.  
All of a sudden, Sam moved his hand down to that little bundle of nerves and dropped his head down to ravish my breast with his tongue. God, I loved it when he did that. Pleasure coursed through me and I was tipped over the edge, falling into a state of pure euphoria.  
Sam continued to thrust, stimulating my sensitive spots, until I was pushed over again. I let out a rather loud proclamation of his name and he put his hand over my mouth. In the back of my mind -the part that wasn’t lost in a sex haze- I thought it was hilarious he’d actually had to silence me. He thrust in twice more before he joined me in bliss.  
It felt very strange to have something spilling inside me. Not good or bad. Just… strange. I could feel the heat and was extremely thankful that my periods had been irregular and I'd had to start taking birth control three years ago.  
We both stayed like that for several minutes, panting as we came down. Holden eventually rolled to his side until he lay next to me, before grabbing the opposite end of the large quilt and covering us both.  
He leaned his face down to mine and we met in a languid kiss, his fingers trailing over my whole body, like he was memorizing it with his hands. I found myself doing the same.  
I let my fingers trail from his face down to his chest, roaming over his muscled torso. I traced the lines of his arms until I brought my hand up to rest against the side of his face. His hand continued to trace the swell of my breasts before smoothing the curve of my hip. He stopped with his hand at the small of my back, pulling me tighter against him.  
I sighed. As much as I wanted to stay here all night, I had to get back to my room. "We've gotta get back inside," I reminded him, rolling away to get my clothes. I was stopped by the hand on my back.  
"Nope, I'm not letting you go," he mumbled into my hair. I laughed at his attempt to trap me here.  
"We can't have anybody find us naked in the storage shed," I reasoned, and he sighed, letting me go but not moving. He watched as I got onto my knees to reach over him to get my clothes. I felt goosebumps rising over my body as he watched me, but I ignored them, snatching up my nightgown and sitting back on my side as I pulled it over my head.  
He sighed before getting up to redress himself as well. I searched the floor, trying to look for where he'd thrown my panties, but I couldn't find them. Then I saw a bit of white lace peeking out of his pocket.  
"Hey!" I yelled in a whisper. He spun around quickly. "Give those back," I demanded, pointing to my stolen underwear. He smiled cheekily.  
"Nope," he denied.  
"What? Why do you want my underwear?" I asked in confusion.  
"To remember this most glorious occasion," he answered lightly.  
"Well, what if I want them to remember this most glorious occasion?" I countered. Yeah, if I wore those again I would always think of tonight.  
"Then you should've grabbed them before I did," he replied, buttoning the top button of his shirt. I sighed in defeat. This could go on for a while and I was tired.  
"Fine. But I get the next pair," I conditioned and watched something flash in his eyes so quickly it was gone before I could name it.  
"Okay," he allowed in mock disappointment.  
"Now let's get back," I ushered him, walking out the door to my room, covered again in the blanket I'd worn out here.


	28. The Voyeur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim comes to Bess's rescue only to find she's been taken care of. Thoroughly taken care of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't remember, Tim is the inn's groundskeeper. Also, he's in love with Bess. He's a large component of the original song.

There was no word strong enough to describe my rage when I saw her walk out with him. I'd heard her scream and had run as fast as I could to where I assumed they were. By the time I got there there was only quiet mumbling coming from within the shed.  
I approached and looked through one of the cracks just in time to see her put a final tug on her small nightgown. I hadn't even gotten to see her bare ass cheek as she redressed. Then I watched as he got up, completely naked, to get dressed as well.  
I saw the pillow and blanket on the floor and a pink stain and knew exactly what they'd done. What he'd done to her. She hadn't been calling his name out in hopes of someone saving her, she'd been crying out as he fucked away her innocence.  
Oh, I would kill him. I would kill him and show her I was a better lover than he ever would be. I would have her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we're getting back to the story line the song portrays.


	29. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess wakes up to find Sam gone. As long as Midnight is there, though, everything's alright. Right?

"No!" I panted harshly as I shot up in bed. A dream. It was just a dream. He wasn't going to leave me here. I hadn't even realized my subconscious was worried about that until that awful nightmare where he'd left me all alone while he continued down the east coast.  
I closed my eyes and lay back down, only to realize that I was very cold. I didn't have any body heat pressed up against me anymore. My eyes immediately scanned the room, hoping he was just walking around or something. My breathing got heavier and I started to feel faint.  
He'd actually left me here. He didn't even tell me where he was going, or when. But maybe I could still catch him. I scrambled out of bed, searching for something decent to wear in front of the guests. I ended up with jeans and a red cotton tank top. I walked at an acceptable pace when I got downstairs, careful not to draw any attention to myself as I slipped out the back door, heading straight for the outbuilding.  
Relief flooded through me like a dam breaking when I saw a horse's tail flicking back and forth. He wasn't gone yet, at least. I decided to stay next to the horse and wait for him to try to leave. If he was ditching me, I would make him say it to my face.  
"Bess? Is that you?" I heard a man's voice ask and I whirled around, only to be disappointed when I saw Tim. He was older than Stuart, but not completely grey-haired, and it had only slightly receded. He had always been like a second dad to me, even a primary one when Stuart had lost it.  
"Oh, yeah Tim. It's me. I was just admiring the horse," I lied.  
"...And waiting for it's owner, I presume."  
I looked up, shocked, and Tim gave me a knowing grin before looking at me sympathetically. "Ah, I hate to tell you this, Hon, but I saw him leave hours ago," he said, putting a hand on my upper arm. Hours ago? But why would he leave Midnight behind?  
I looked curiously at Tim, sensing something off in his expression. Something hard. All of a sudden, the horse behind me nudged it's face against my back, propelling me forward to fall into Tim.


	30. Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim shows his true colors when he has Bess in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains dubious consent in the form of groping. If you don't want to read, I will give a quick, non-offensive overview in the bottom notes.

I caught Bess, beautiful Bess, before she could fall. I had both hands on her hips and I couldn't find it within me to move them. I didn't want to move them. My fingers tightened around the soft skin, covered only with a thin tank top. I could only imagine how it would look and feel when it was bared to me.  
I pulled her closer to me and she gasped, "Tim, what're you doing?" she asked, sounding surprised and confused. She tried to move away, but I wasn't about to let that happen. Not when she was so close and I could smell the sweet scent of her strawberry shampoo. I could have her right here. Right where she'd lain with him last night.  
I slid one hand around to the small of her back, my fingers sliding between her shirt and her skin. My other hand came up to stroke her hair. She seemed to be frozen in place. "You really are the most beautiful girl," I complimented, fingers carding into her thick curls as I slowly pulled up the material at her back.  
"T-Tim, what's going on?" her voice was shaky.  
"Oh, darling girl. I've been watching you grow for twenty years, taking care of you. Then you go and decide to be with some stranger?!" I accused, taking my anger out on her hair. She yelped as her head was pulled back, which caused her neck to arch and her breasts to push up, drawing my eye. I removed my hand from her back to grab the glorious globe.  
I froze when I heard boots crunching against gravel. Someone was coming. Not someone. Him. Blinding hate clouded my vision and I leaned over her scared form. "Don't worry, he'll be gone soon enough, then we'll be together," I muttered close to her ear, then took off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically, Tim won't let Bess extricate herself from his grip. He feels her up and says he'll have her whenever Sam leaves.


	31. By the Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim's too dangerous. Bess and Sam make a plan to leave.

As soon as Tim's hands let me go I crumpled to the ground, barely feeling the pain in my knees as they took the blunt of my fall. I sobbed quietly into my hands. I couldn't believe it. Tim. Tim had actually just done that. My sobs became louder and I flinched harshly when I felt a hand touch my shoulder.  
"Bess?" a worried voice asked. "Bess, what's wrong?" he continued. I lifted my head up to see Sam kneeling down next to me, concern the dominant emotion on his face. He instantly made me feel safe and I threw my arms around his neck, silent tears leaking down onto his t-shirt.  
"Bess, I'm sorry I left," he apologized, taking the blame on himself, "I just came out here to get new clothes and when I got back up to your room you were gone. I swear I was coming back."  
I pulled back and sniffled, trying to get enough control over myself to explain. "Tim...," my voice broke on his name.  
"What? Who's Tim?" he questioned, confusion crossing his features with an undercurrent of something I couldn't identify.  
"H-he's kind of like a m-maintainance man. He's been working here since before I was born. He was like a father to me. B-but just now..." I trailed off, shuddering as I remembered his hands on me, touching me where only Sam should. "Let's just say I realized he doesn't see me as a daughter," I finished, defeated.  
I saw understanding come over Sam's face before the blackest fury I'd ever seen. My face paled, fearing he was about to do something that would most definitely get him in trouble. Well, more trouble.  
"What happened?" he asked in a hard voice, hands tightening into fist until his knuckles were white. I took his hands in mine as I spoke, smoothing out each finger and focusing on my breathing.  
"He told me you left. I think he was trying to make you look bad. Then, I fell and he caught me, but he wouldn't let me go. His fingers dug into my hips so hard..." I shook my head. "H-he touched me," I shuddered, bringing a hand across my chest. "He was going on about how I should be with him," I recalled, grimacing in disgust. "Right before you came back he said you'll be gone soon and then he'd... have me," I whimpered, voice going so small I could barely hear it myself.  
He pulled me up to my feet and wound his arms around me, pulling me close. "I'm gonna kill him," he stated calmly and I tensed, looking up at his determined expression as he stared into my eyes. It wasn’t a threat, it was a promise. I was immediately shaking my head. I wanted Tim gone as much as him, but I couldn't let him leave me if he got caught.  
"No. Sam, you can't. If you get caught you'll go to jail forever and I'll never get to see you again," I begged, not wanting to think about a life without him.  
"Bess, you can't stay here anymore. Not with him around. Men like that..." he stopped, tensing before gaining control. "...they don't give up. I don't know what I'd do if he hurt you that way," he finished, pain twisting his voice at the gruesome thought.  
"Sam, I don't have any money or a place to go. I have to stay here..." I mumbled sadly, liking the idea no more than he did.  
Suddenly, there was a light in his eyes again and he took my face in one hand. "Come with me," he requested. "Please. I know that my life is unstable right now but I want you with me. Think about it, Bess. We could go on the journey you've always wanted to take," he continued, trying to persuade me. He shouldn't have wasted his breath. I was all in as soon as he’d first asked me to come with him.  
I smiled widely before reaching up to give him a peck on the lips before agreeing. "Yes," he repeated, before picking me up and swinging me in a circle. I giggled like I used to when I was a little girl.  
He set me softly back down on my bare feet and kissed me deeply, pulling me flush against him. Images and sensations from last night started to sneak into my thoughts and I pulled back before I could get out of control.  
"We've got time for this enough after we leave," I reminded both of us, blushing.  
"About last night..." he replied warily. "How are you feeling?" He questioned, obviously worried that I'd regretted my decision.  
I had to suppress an eye roll at his question. Why was he always so sure I didn't want him? "I feel better than I've ever felt before," I answered semi-truthfully. I did feel a little sore, but he didn't need to know that.  
"Really?" he pressed on, "No regrets?"  
"Not one. I told you I knew what I was doing," I responded, matter-of-fact. He seemed to visibly relax, as if he'd been holding some weight and it had disappeared at my words.  
"Okay, if we're getting out of here tonight, we're going to need money. There's this business I passed in Atlanta, Harriet & Weiser, that has been screwing people over for years. I hit them before I came here, but left the cash at my old hotel" he confessed. "You should stay here and start packing. As soon as I leave, lock every door and window in your room. I don't want Tim to have any chance at hurting you. I have to go figure out how to get the money, but I should be back before dark," he finished, and I tried not to be worried as he talked about breaking the law.  
"You'll be safe, too, right?" I asked, unsure. I needed him to be okay just as much as he needed me to be okay.  
He kissed the tip of my nose. "I'll be fine," he reassured me.  
I walked back to my room alone and checked to make sure every room was empty before I locked the doors and windows. I looked out the big window that gave a nice view of the cobblestone road and saw he and the horse fading into the distance.  
I busied myself with packing up essentials. I needed a toothbrush, toothpaste, underwear, comfortable clothes, a razor, a brush, hmmm... what else? I spotted my black converse in the corner of my room. Those were comfortable and went with just about anything. I threw them in my suitcase. When I was finally finished packing, I set my suitcase next to my bed and looked out the window. The sun was just about to set and he wasn't back yet.  
Just as I started to hyperventilate, I heard someone whistling. I rushed to the window and saw that he was actually standing up in his stirrups, causing his head to fall just short of the window. I opened it and leaned out, looking down at him with an amused smile.  
"I don't have time to come in, but I just wanted to let you know that everything's good so far. I found out where it is and I'm heading out now. I should be back before dawn, but watch for me in the moonlight tonight," he requested and I nodded, knowing that I’d be watching until the sun came up.  
I leaned forward and my hair cascaded out the window. It was long enough to reach his face and he inhaled like had when I’d worn his jacket. I smiled. "Just come back home to me," I pled earnestly. Nothing else mattered but that.  
He nodded seriously. "I will," he vowed, before sitting back down in the saddle and looking up. "By the way, I love you," he promised, taking off again.  
"I love you," I whispered as I watched his figure retreat until I couldn't see him anymore. I closed my window tight and made sure to lock it up, then sat on the floor at the base of my bed next to my suitcase to wait. I curled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, eyes never straying from the window where I would see him come back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is super close to the original song. It's referring to when the highwayman stands at Bess's window and says 'look for me by the moonlight, watch for me by the moonlight' before going off to ya know, break the law.


	32. Dumb as a Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smallest chapter in the entire work, but necessary. Tim overhears the plan and develops his own plot in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tim has his own stanza in the song and this is basically the result of it.

An idea formed in my head at the young couples plan. I knew of Harriet & Weiser. They didn't mess around when people tried to screw them. Rumor had it that one guy tried to steal from them and they killed him, making it look like a suicide. That could work for me. The Highwayman stole from them and they were probably looking for him. I could tell them exactly where he was going. They would obviously beat him here seeing as how cars are a lot faster than horses. They would kill him and then I would get Bess. It was foolproof.


	33. Tlot-tlot; Tlot-tlot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bess gets some visitors. They aren't friends of Sam's and use her to get to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suicide occurs in this chapter. I've warned you.

I only realized my eyes had shut when I heard a roaring engine screech to a halt out front. It was followed by the sounds of the front door banging open and my dad's angry shouts that cut off abruptly. Unlocking my door, I moved to the top of the stairs to see his unconscious body, but he was breathing.  
Then, I saw the four hulking figures that had knocked him out. They were wearing black jeans and t-shirts that strained over their muscles. I made a small squeak when I noticed that they all carried a gun. I saw two glocks, a rifle, and a semi-automatic.  
They all heard me and their heads snapped up in my direction. It took me much less than a second to realize I was in serious danger, based on the predatory smiles I got. I ran straight back into my room, trying to close and lock the door as fast as I could, but I was too slow.  
They pushed the door open so forcefully that I was thrown back onto the ground. My head cracked against the side of my dresser and I was seeing spots as I felt my arms being tied behind my back with coarse ropes. I tried to scream out but the biggest one slapped me across the face before tying a gag in place. I could feel it catching the tears that streamed down my cheeks.  
They pushed me down until I was sitting next to my suitcase at the foot of my narrow bed. One of the ones with a glock and the semi-automatic stood at attention at both sides of the window, watching. Watching for what?  
The one with the rifle bent down and situated the weapon so that to butt-end was wedged between my side and my suitcase while the muzzle was beneath my breast. I was more than a little uncomfortable with something touching me there and I was terrified. I'd never seen these men before in my life! Who were they and what could I have possibly don-  
"I bet you're regretting the decision to date a thief right about now," said the one that was sitting on the edge of my mattress. "I mean, if not for him, you'd be sitting pretty with not a care in the world," he finished in a mocking tone.  
My face paled as I realized these men hadn't come here to hurt me, they were waiting for Sam. They had to be part of the group he stole from. But how did they know he was coming here? My brain answered my question as soon as I asked it. Tim.  
"Aw, Jason, just look at her! Do you think the thief would've ever stopped trying to get her?" he joked, eyes raking up and down my body, lingering on my chest. I scowled at him, disgusted.  
The one on the bed leaned forward until I could smell his foul breath. I leaned away from the stench."You know, if we didn't have a job to do, I might get her right now," he threatened with a predatory smile, and I shuddered at his implications.  
His dirty hand grabbed my jaw and forced me to look out the window where Sam would eventually come. "Now you keep real good watch, darling. Wouldn't want to miss your man going down," he said before kissing me over my gag. I jerked my head away in disgust and he made a move to grab at me again.  
"Not yet," the other man snapped. "You can have your fun with her after he's dead. Business comes first," he continued like a parent telling a kid they could go play only after they do their homework. The one next to me grumbled but stood up. I sighed in relief and he bent down to silently crouch in front of me.  
He used one hand to grab my chin and shoved the other under my shirt to grope my breasts. That's the third guy to touch them in the last 24 hours. "No need to be relieved darlin'. If we wait 'til after he's dead, there'll be nothing to interrupt us," he warned in a low voice, twisting one nipple hard to elicit a pained noise before retracting his hand and standing up to look out the window with the others.  
I took advantage of their distraction and tried to twist my hands out of the rope that bound them, but I wasn't doing anything except hurting my wrists. This definitely wasn't their first time restraining someone. Still, I didn't give up. With each hour that passed I could feel another layer of the skin on my wrists being burned off by the rope, slicking it with blood, but I made sure not to make a sound.  
I thought of Sam coming here to be shot or worse by these mercenaries and I couldn't stand it. I couldn't let him die. I had to warn him somehow. I had to make some kind of noise. But what noise could I make that was loud enough to stop him before they saw him?  
I couldn't shout, even if I wasn't gagged. It wouldn't be loud enough and I would most definitely be pummeled if I tried. I searched around the room, frantically searching for anything that could make a loud enough noise. Unsurprisingly, none of my possessions did anything. I looked down in defeat and my stomach dropped as an idea popped into my head.  
There was something right next to me that made a hell of a lot of noise. A gunshot would be loud enough. I could do it. I loved him. I would die if it meant I could save him. I was filled with a sudden blazing determination and I stopped trying to get out of my binds.  
Instead, I tried to get my fingers on the trigger next to me. It wasn't comfortable. I had to pull my right wrist all the way across my back to my left side. Pain shot through my shoulder, but it was dull with the adrenaline rushing through my system. All of a sudden the clock struck midnight and I felt my finger on the cool metal trigger.  
I didn't make any more movement, scared that they would hear or that my finger would push the gun away. I listened as hard as I possibly could, just hoping I heard him before they did. The seconds ticked by until I heard the horrid noise.  
Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot in the distance.  
The distinct beat of horse hooves on cobblestone. He was coming. I looked out the window and thought I could make out a tiny black dot against the moonlit street.  
Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot in the echoing night.  
The thugs didn't react to the sound. Did they really not hear it?  
I saw Sam getting closer. Soon he would be seen by anyone looking. I took one moment to let all my memories with Sam run through my mind. I thought of first seeing his face, of kissing him for the first time, of him climbing through my window, of the ferris wheel, him sleeping next to me, him above me, inside me, asking me to run away... I also took a moment to think of what would've been. We would've been happy. We would've traveled to beautiful destinations all over the country, we would've eventually settled down somewhere nice, we would've lived happily ever after...  
All these memories ran through my head in one second. I closed my eyes.  
I love you, Sam.  
I pulled the trigger.


	34. The Shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam hears the shot that killed Bess and decides to head back to his hotel. He thinks guns mean cops and knows she would understand him not wanting to be around cops. Boy, was he in for a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should warn you that there's basically suicide here, as well. Indirectly.

BOOM! The sound echoed back to me and I pulled Midnight to a stop. What the Hell? I'd been so excited to finally see the little inn, but I didn't expect to hear a gunshot. Were the cops there? If I got arrested, she would be left alone, so I decided to play it safe.  
I turned back around and headed to a little motel not too far away. I paid for the room with some of the money I'd stolen and settled into the bed to sleep. I felt slightly guilty that I wouldn't be able to keep my promise to be there before dawn, but I reasoned that she'd be busy with whatever'd been going on tonight and that she'd understand.  
I went downstairs for the complimentary breakfast the next morning at eight a.m. and noticed that the mood was abnormally depressed. I turned to the grey-haired woman next to me. She was looking down at her pancakes, not really eating.  
"What happened? What's wrong with everyone?" I asked quietly, but it sounded loud in the silent room.  
She looked at me sadly. "Didn't you hear?" I shook my head, "Someone died this morning at that little inn on the edge of town. The one that holds those parties. It was a murder."  
Had that been the gunshot I'd heard? I wonder which one of the guests would have people that wanted them dead...?  
"Who died?" I questioned curiously. I couldn't imagine anyone in this tiny town could do something that would bring down that much heat.  
She looked even more sad as she replied, "The landlord's daughter, Elizabeth, that poor dear. She was such a sweet girl..."  
I felt every bit of blood drain from my face, leaving it cold. The woman kept talking, but I wasn't listening anymore. I couldn't hear. Or see, or move, or think. My brain shut down to try to protect itself from the overwhelming agony that was threatening to rip me apart if it was true.  
Bess wasn't dead. She wasn't. Bess was waiting for me to come back so that we could run away together. She wasn't dead, only disappointed and maybe worried that I didn't come back last night. No. She couldn't be.  
"...parently she was tied up by some goons from that awful Hariett & Weiser place. The news said they were there for that Highwayman guy to come and she actually shot herself. Apparently that’s what they’re saying, anyways. It’s probably just some defense a lawyer thought up. I mean, why would she shoot herself to warn him?" she rambled.  
Me. The killers had been waiting for me. They were going to kill me. She took her own life to save mine. No. No no no. The pain I feared twisted through me, my mind unable to deny the truth anymore. Bess was dead. Bess was dead. Bess was dead.  
That single thought was all that went through my head. I wrenched myself away from the dining area and stumbled back to my room in a daze. I fell to my knees and put my hands on the sides of my head, trying to block the thought out.  
As soon as I'd managed to shut it up slightly, I immediately regretted it, because it was replaced by pictures. Bess was in every single one of them. My brain went through the myriad of ways she could have shot herself. In the head. In the stomach. Through her chest. My brain conjured up an image of how she would look in each scenario. She was no longer the vibrant, youthful woman I'd known. Now she was the corpse covered in blood after sacrificing herself for a man not even close to being worthy of her.  
I sobbed, wishing the pain would rather go away or kill me. The latter would be the more favorable option. I tried to grasp onto any thought that would give me some kind of purpose, now that what I loved most was gone.  
Anger. I could hold onto this blinding anger. At them. At myself. At the world.  
Retribution was all that mattered now. Nothing else. Not my life. Not money. Not safety. Her life was the only thing that mattered, and it'd been the one thing taken away. I felt crazy with revenge and shrieked in outrage and grief until the manager threw me out. That was fine. I had somewhere I had to be.  
I rode Midnight faster than I ever had before towards that vicious corporation, raising my gun and getting off four deadly shots before a bullet hit me straight in the chest and knocked me to the ground. I smiled as I lay there dying, knowing I was fully crazy and not caring.  
Pictures of Bess played through my head like a slideshow as I started losing consciousness, perfectly preserved as if waiting to give me some sort of peace in my last moments. Her thick black hair weaved through with a love-knot the night I first saw her, her unnaturally black eyes, the beautiful skin covering her bare body that I'd been fortunate enough to see, her red-lipped smile...All I could hope was that nobody would save me and that I'd see her on the other side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally finished! I hope you enjoyed my spin-off story for this song. I became semi-obsessed with it after someone told me I reminded them of Bess and I had to write it all out.


End file.
